In USAthe bacterium known as “ vibrio vulnificus” became a cause for concern this summer. In recent months, a rise in the number of fatal cases related to this infection, with almost one dozen reported victimsincluding five in Florida and three in Connecticut and New York.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCfor its acronym in English) issued this Friday a national alert advising healthcare professionals to be vigilant for infections of the bacteria.
The infections of this year occurred during a period of sea surface temperatures coastal above averagethe agency said.
“Extreme weather events, such as coastal flooding, hurricanes, and storm surges, can force waters inland, exposing people to these waters”, the CDC explained.
What is flesh-eating bacteria?
This microorganism, which lives in warm watershas the ability to get into to the bloodstream through cuts or small wounds in the skinas well as for the ingestion of contaminated raw shellfishlike oysters. Although the presence of Vibrio vulnificus is not common, its infection can be fatalespecially in vulnerable people, with a 33% mortality rateaccording to an article published in the National Institutes of Health.
The increase in sea temperature during favored the proliferation of various microorganisms, among them, bacteria of the genus Vibrio, responsible for diseases such as vibriosis and cholera. However, Flesh-eating bacteria pose a particularly serious dangersince it increases the sepsis riska life-threatening condition, especially in immunocompromised or elderly people.
Many people infected with Vibrio vulnificus “require intensive care or limb amputations” and some infections lead to what is called necrotizing fasciitis, a severe infection in which the flesh around an open wound dies.
The CDC added that no person-to-person transmissionto. People with underlying health problems, such as liver disease, diabetes, and immunocompromised diseases, are at increased risk of wound infection.
Source: Ambito
