by Following a swimmer’s unusual condition on Cape Cod, Massachusetts public health authorities warned Wednesday about the presence of a rare and potentially harmful bacteria in the state’s coastal waters.
According to a statement from Falmouth and Barnstable County health officials, an elderly person who went swimming at Old Silver Beach in Falmouth with an exposed wound last week was found to have a Vibrio vulnificus illness, which is caused by Vibrio bacteria.
Cape officials stated that Old Silver Beach is still open and that bacterial illnesses are still quite rare.
According to a statement from Scott McGann, the Town of Falmouth’s health agent, Cape Cod’s beaches play a significant role in our community, culture, and economy. Residents and guests, especially those who are immunocompromised or vulnerable, can continue to enjoy them securely by following a few easy steps.
Falmouth officials said there is no method to check for Vibrio bacteria in swimming water.
In the past few years, Massachusetts has seen seven verified instances of Vibrio vulnificus, including four that were probably exposed within the state, according to state health officials.
Public health officials say the bacteria are more likely to infect people in warmer waters around the Gulf Coast.
According to state health experts, the majority of Vibrio bacterial infections are typically caused by eating shellfish that contain the bacteria.
Although anybody exposed to the bacteria can become infected, pregnant women, small children, and individuals with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses are more likely to have severe illness.
According to a statement from Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, vibrio bacteria often inhabit warm, brackish, or salty waters around the Atlantic coast. May through October is often the peak season for Vibrio bacteria because of the favorable conditions created by heat waves and above-normal water surface temperatures. When the bacteria enter the body, people who eat contaminated shellfish or spend time in the ocean with exposed wounds may become infected. These infections can occasionally cause serious, even fatal, illnesses by spreading via the bloodstream.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, certain Vibrio infections can cause necrotizing fasciitis, a flesh-eating illness that kills the tissue surrounding the infected site. A Vibrio infection manifests as fever, chills, diarrhea, and vomiting.
State health officials said Wednesday that people with open wounds exposed to warm coastal waters should watch for infection symptoms for seven days and seek medical help if they experience fever, chills, dangerously low blood pressure, blistering skin lesions, or any redness, pain, swelling, warmth, discoloration, or discharge at the wound site.
Health officials recommend avoiding coastal waters or covering any open wounds with a waterproof bandage to prevent wound infections caused by Vibrio bacteria. Additionally, officials advised anyone with open wounds to refrain from handling raw seafood and to cleanse any wounds with soap and water after coming into touch with raw shellfish or coastal water.
At Boston.com, Dialynn Dwyer works as an editor and reporter, covering local and breaking news in Boston and New England.
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