What Vibrio Vulnificus Actually IsVibrio vulnificus is part of a broader group of Vibrio bacteria found primarily in warm, coastal waters, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite its fearsome nickname, Vibrio vulnificus infection remains genuinely rare. Louisiana health officials have warned that people with severe infections may require intensive care or, in some cases, limb amputation. According to the department, about one in five people infected with Vibrio vulnificus dies, sometimes within just a day or two of becoming ill. Nationally, the CDC estimates roughly 150 to 200 cases of Vibrio vulnificus are reported each year, with the vast majority occurring in Florida and other Gulf Coast states.