Flesh-eating bacteria kill at least 7 along Gulf Coast. (CBS NEWS) – According to CBS, a so-called flesh-eating bacterium that thrives in warm seawater has killed at least seven people this year along the Gulf Coast, officials said. Researchers as far north as New York have detected the bacteria in waters along the coast. Some treatments that can also increase the risk of infection include immune-suppressing therapy and medicine to decrease stomach acid levels. Symptoms of a wound infection include fever and discoloration or discharge of fluids around the wound as well as pain, redness or swelling, according to the CDC.