The number of people infected by a potentially deadly flesh-eating bacterium in Florida and other states is likely to rise as the weather turns wetter but infection risks remains extremely rare, a top microbiologist says.

“Each year when the weather gets warmer, the number of infections rise and they peak in the summer,” Paul A. Gulig, a professor of molecular genetics at the University of Florida College of Medicine tells Newsmax Health.

So far, eight people have been infected by the bacterium and two have died, according to the Florida Department of Health. Last year, there were 32 infections and seven deaths.

Vibrio vulnificus is a bacterium that normally lives in seawater, but prefers water that is less salty — typically a mix of saltwater and freshwater.

“We get more rain in the summer, which dilutes the salt, so that’s why it’s more common to hear about it now,” notes Gulig.

People can become infected with Vibrio vulnificus two ways: by going into infected waters and eating infected shellfish, usually oysters.

When it comes to swimming, opting for the ocean is generally safer because the water is too salty for the bacteria, which prefer to dwell in less saline water, like that found in coves, bays and along intracostal waterways. But even ocean waters can harbor the bacteria, particularly near shore or areas where freshwater inlets empty into the ocean.

In waters such as these, swimming can be dangerous, especially if you have broken skin that can allow the bacteria to infect you.

“It doesn’t have to be an open wound, necessarily, it could be a scratch,” explains Dr. Gulig.

As for ingesting the bacteria, those at risk are people with chronic liver disease, or those with compromised immune systems.

“But another group you don’t hear about is people with excess iron in the blood. This is a genetic mutation that occurs more commonly in Caucasians, most people don’t have it, but it’s another at-risk group,” he says.

Vibrio vulnificus is not only found in Florida, it lives in other bodies of warm water as well. But despite such horrendous cases, the risk of contracting an infection remains rare, notes Paul Eder, M.D., an infectious disease specialist in Baltimore, Md.

He regularly fields calls each summer about Vibrio vulnificus occurring in the Chesapeake Bay, with its large oyster industry.

“We see it here as well, although it usually doesn’t cause alarm unless the press begin reporting on it, said Dr. Eder. “You’re more likely to get killed on the freeway than you are to contract Vibrio vulnificus from eating raw oysters.”

Even though contracting the infection is unlikely, it remains a potentially lethal bacteria that falls into the dreaded “flesh-eating” category because it feeds off living tissue and is so fast-acting that, in rare cases, it can lead to amputation and even death.

In Mississippi, a fisherman is fighting for his life after he swayed his legs from a boat during a fishing trip in the Gulf of Mexico. One of his legs has been amputated and he remains in critical condition.

According to reports, he suffers from liver disease, which may have made him more susceptible.

This is why it’s important to pay attention to symptoms of infection after swimming, says Gulig.

“If you went swimming in some brackish water and, within a day or two, you notice a cut that has been become infected with redness, swelling and pain, you should get medical attention immediately,” he said.

“Likewise, if you eat raw oysters, and, within a day or two, you have a high fever and feel really bad, especially if you see large blood blisters, than you should to the ER and tell them about what you’ve eaten, and they’ll know what you have.”