What to know about 'flesh-eating' Vibrio vulnificus bacteria after infections reported in Florida, Louisiana

More than two dozen cases of a rare "flesh-eating" bacteria have been detected in Gulf Coast states, including Florida and Louisiana, so far this year.

State health officials say 15 cases of Vibrio vulnificus have been confirmed in Florida and 10 have been reported in Louisiana. Additionally, seven deaths have been reported, including two in Florida and five in Louisiana.

Genevieve Gallagher, from Florida, told ABC News last year how the infection led to her losing part of her left leg after she went boating in Pensacola Bay. She's warning others how dangerous it can be.

"I wouldn't want to wish this on my worst enemy. So I just want people to know, please, do not go in [the water] if you've just shaved your legs. Do not go in there if you have a little cut on your finger," Gallagher said. "Your life is not worth it. Losing your leg or being in pain like this and away from your family is not worth it."

Here's what you need to know about Vibrio infections, including what they are, how they're treated and how to prevent them.

What are Vibrio?

Vibrio are bacteria that naturally live in some coastal waters, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

These bacteria are naturally occurring in saltwater and brackish waters and are more abundant in the summer months, between May and October.

Vibrio bacteria cause an estimated 80,000 illnesses each year in the U.S., according to the CDC.

About a dozen species of Vibrio can cause the illness vibriosis, with the most common species in the U.S. being Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio alginolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus.

Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious diseases specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, told ABC News that people typically can become infected with Vibrio vulnificus through one of two ways.

"One is you're wading around in the water where these bacteria kind of thrive, and you contact the bacteria in an open wound, or you eat raw or undercooked seafood, particularly oysters," Chin-Hong said.

What are the vibriosis signs and symptoms?

Symptoms of Vibrio vulnificus infection can include fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and watery diarrhea, according to the CDC. If the infection enters the bloodstream, symptoms also can include fever, chills, low blood pressure and blistering skin lesions.

If the bacteria enter an open wound and cause infection, a patient might have redness, pain, swelling, warmth, fever, discoloration and discharge, per the CDC.

Many people infected with Vibrio vulnificus can become seriously ill and may need intensive care or even limb amputation, the CDC says. About one in five people die from the infection, sometimes within only a day or two of falling ill.

What vibriosis treatment is available?

For patients with mild infections, antibiotics are not recommended. Instead, the CDC recommends drinking plenty of fluids if diarrhea or vomiting is present to prevent dehydration.

Antibiotics may be used to treat severe or prolonged Vibrio infections, according to the CDC.

Those with wound infections from vibriosis can sometimes suffer necrotizing fasciitis, which is when the flesh around an open wound dies. Treatment involves antibiotics and surgery to remove dead or infected tissue. Necrotizing fasciitis can sometimes lead to limb amputation.

How to prevent vibriosis infection

"What we think about is basically awareness of open wounds and brackish water, particularly if you are somebody who has a risk factor or you have susceptibility to infection," Chin-Hong said.

The CDC recommends that people do not eat raw or undercooked oysters or other seafood, and to no let raw seafood or its juice contaminate other foods.

Public health specialists recommend washing hands with soap and water after handing raw shellfish and wearing gloves when possible.

Additionally, if someone has an open wound, the CDC recommends staying out of saltwater or brackish water.

If not possible, "cover those wounds with waterproof bandages," Chin-Hong said. "If you do have open wounds that come in contact with salt or brackish water in warm temperatures, wash them thoroughly with soap and water."