Rare flesh-eating bacteria kill three in New York and Connecticut

An illustration of the Vibrio vulnificus bacterium, which can cause the rare but potentially fatal infection vibriosis. Photograph: Dr_Microbe/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Three people in New York and Connecticut have died as a result of flesh-eating bacterial infections, prompting authorities to warn residents about the potential dangers of consuming raw shellfish or exposure to salt or brackish water.

One person from Suffolk county in New York, as well as two people in Connecticut, have died from vibriosis, a rare bacterial infection caused by several species of bacteria, including Vibrio vulnificus, according to authorities.