Massachusetts Health Officials Warn About Potentially Deadly Bacteria In Coastal Waters

Health section officials successful Massachusetts are informing nan nationalist astir a perchance deadly germs successful coastal waters aft a personification was infected.

The state’s Department of Public Health issued a warning Wednesday astir Vibrio germs pursuing what it called "an highly uncommon case" of Vibrio vulnificus infection. Officials said nan personification was astir apt exposed to it while astatine a formation connected Buzzards Bay.

"Vibrio germs usually unrecorded successful warm, brackish aliases brackish waters on nan Atlantic coast," Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein said successful a statement. "Heat waves and above-average h2o aboveground temperatures create favorable conditions for Vibrio bacteria to grow, making May done October mostly nan highest play for these bacteria."

About a twelve type of Vibrio tin origin illness, according to nan Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms of an infection see tummy cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever, and chills.

Some Vibrio infections tin lead to necrotizing fasciitis aliases “flesh-eating disease,” nan CDC said.

Deaths from "flesh-eating" bacteria person been connected nan emergence successful immoderate southeastern states, including Florida and Louisiana.

Goldstein said group pinch unfastened wounds and those who eat contaminated shellfish tin create an infection. Sometimes, nan infection tin dispersed done nan bloodstream and origin terrible aliases life-threatening illness, he said.

According to nan CDC, astir 1 successful 5 group pinch a Vibrio vulnificus infection die.

In nan past respective years, location person been only 7 confirmed cases of nan infection among Massachusetts residents. Four of them were astir apt exposed to Vibrio vulnificus successful Massachusetts, nan wellness section said.