Not less than eight individuals alongside the Gulf Coast have died and 22 others have been contaminated in what native well being officers are warning is an increase in circumstances involving “flesh-eating” micro organism.
The Louisiana Division of Well being issued an alert final week saying that there had been 17 circumstances of Vibrio vulnificus within the state thus far this yr. All of these sufferers have been hospitalized, and 4 died.
“This represents a better variety of Vibrio vulnificus circumstances and deaths than are sometimes reported,” the division mentioned. “Throughout the identical time interval over the earlier 10 years, a mean of seven Vibrio vulnificus circumstances and one dying have been reported annually.”
In the meantime, well being officers in Florida have reported 13 circumstances this yr, as of July 24. 4 of these circumstances have resulted in dying.
Public well being specialists have usually attributed the rise in circumstances to local weather change.
Right here’s what to know concerning the micro organism.
What’s Vibrio vulnificus?
Vibrio vulnificus is a sort of Vibrio micro organism, many species of which may trigger an an infection referred to as vibriosis. Vibrio vulnificus micro organism “trigger probably the most severe types of vibriosis,” in accordance with the Cleveland Clinic.
Infections can result in painful blisters, fever, inner bleeding, organ injury, sepsis, and even dying, the clinic mentioned. Vibrio vulnificus can even trigger necrotizing fasciitis, which is “a extreme an infection by which the flesh round an open wound dies,” in accordance with the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC). Whereas Vibrio vulnificus is sometimes called “flesh-eating micro organism,” the CDC mentioned that many public well being specialists don’t think about it to be the commonest reason behind necrotizing fasciitis within the nation.
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How widespread are infections?
Vibrio vulnificus infections are uncommon. Based on the Cleveland Clinic, there are solely about 100 to 200 confirmed circumstances within the nation annually.
Infections brought on by different varieties of Vibrio micro organism are extra widespread than Vibrio vulnificus. There are about 80,000 vibriosis circumstances throughout the nation yearly, in accordance with the CDC, about 52,000 of that are brought on by consuming meals contaminated with Vibrio micro organism.
How is the micro organism transmitted, and how are you going to shield your self?
Vibrio micro organism sometimes reside in salt water and brackish water, which is a mix of salt water and recent water, in accordance with the CDC.
Folks can change into contaminated with Vibrio vulnificus from consuming uncooked shellfish, sometimes oysters, in accordance with the Cleveland Clinic. The micro organism can even infect people who find themselves uncovered to seawater or brackish water, by way of a wound or break of their pores and skin. Most circumstances happen in the course of the summer season, between Could and October, when the water is usually hotter.
The Cleveland Clinic advises individuals to cut back their danger of getting contaminated by avoiding consuming uncooked or undercooked shellfish, washing their palms after making ready or touching uncooked shellfish, and avoiding contact with seawater and brackish water if they’ve a wound or new piercing or tattoo, amongst different measures.
Each the Louisiana and Florida Departments of Well being warned individuals with well being circumstances that put them at elevated danger—similar to persistent liver illness, kidney illness, or different circumstances that compromise their immune programs—to take further care across the coast. These people “ought to put on correct foot safety to forestall cuts and harm brought on by rocks and shells on the seashore,” the Florida well being division suggested.
