Latest news with #Vibrios
Boston Globe
4 days ago
- Health
- Boston Globe
Bacteria that can cause flesh-eating disease love warm water, and the water is getting warmer due to climate change
That's where climate change comes in, making New England waters friendlier for the potentially deadly bacteria. 'With warmer water temperatures moving further north, it allows Vibrios to survive, during summer months in particular, at higher latitudes than it had previously,' said Hamer. And the water is warmer. Midsummer ocean temperatures were about 2.75 degrees warmer in the period from 2021 to 2025 than they were 20 years ago, according to data from an Advertisement 'A couple degrees difference will allow greater growth' of the bacteria, said Hamer. 'And if it continues to rise, we're going to see even more over the next five to 10 years.' The oceans absorb more than 90 percent of the extra heat created by climate change, leading to sea level rise as water molecules expand and glaciers melt; supplying extra energy for hurricanes, which are fueled by heat at the surface of the ocean; and providing a more hospitable place for certain kinds of bacteria. Advertisement Scientists has been watching as Vibrio vulnificus infections have climbed northward as the planet warms. Between 1988 and 2018, wound infections from the bacteria increased eight-fold (from 10 to 80 cases per year) in the eastern United States, and the northern limit of reported cases moved north by roughly 30 miles each year, according to a By the middle of this century, between 2041 and 2060, the authors of the study projected that Vibrio vulnificus would be occurring as far north as Boston, and found that in a scenario where the world does not sufficiently rein in greenhouse gas emissions, caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels, it could extend into southern Maine toward the end of the century. The good news is, as of now, this kind of infection is very rare in Massachusetts. The state has recorded seven cases of Vibrio vulnificus in the last several years, of which just four were likely exposed in Massachusetts. But Department of Public Health officials want to One in five people with a Vibrio vulnificus infection die, sometimes within a day or two of getting sick, Advertisement 'There are increasing numbers of people who are immunocompromised by disease or by medication, and people in those categories are at higher risk of both contracting the disease and developing severe complications of the disease,' said Madoff warned that people with underlying medical conditions in particular should be cautious about swimming in the ocean if they have scrapes or cuts and eating raw or undercooked seafood, which is another way people can contract the bacteria. 'If I had a small scratch and I had bad liver disease, I would just stay out of the water,' Madoff said. But he's also not warning people away. 'It's a good way of staying cool. We don't think people need to avoid the beach,' he said. Sabrina Shankman can be reached at
New York Post
05-08-2025
- Health
- New York Post
How to protect yourself against flesh-eating bacteria — as deadly infection sweeps 5 states
Let this sink in — a dangerous, salt-obsessed bacterium is wreaking havoc along the Gulf Coast. Several dozen cases of Vibrio vulnificus and nine deaths have been reported so far this year across Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, Alabama and Mississippi. The rod-shaped bacterium lurks in warm, brackish waters — it can enter your body when you consume raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters, or expose an open wound to seawater. Advertisement 5 Beware swimming in open water if you have an open wound. Vibrio vulnificus could infect you. astrosystem – 'Vibrio has the potential to cause severe infections, including invasive soft tissue infections (sometimes called 'necrotizing fasciitis' or 'flesh-eating bacteria') and bloodstream infections,' Dr. Andrew Handel, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at Stony Brook Children's Hospital, told The Post. Here's what you need to know about this rare but potentially deadly infection. What is Vibrio vulnificus? Advertisement Vibrio vulnificus was initially reported in medical literature in 1976, though it's believed to date back to ancient times. It's part of the broader Vibrio genus of bacteria that live in coastal waters. 5 Vibrio vulnificus is a rod-shaped bacterium that lurks in warm, brackish waters. Giovanni Cancemi – This group includes Vibrio cholerae, the pathogen that causes the diarrheal disease cholera, which is typically transmitted through contaminated food or water. Advertisement 'There are more than 200 recognized species of marine (saltwater) Vibrios, but only a few species cause significant public health problems, particularly foodborne illness, skin infections and wound infections,' a spokesman for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services told The Post. For its part, Vibrio vulnificus needs salt to survive, which is why it occupies warm seawater, especially brackish environments, where freshwater and saltwater mix. 'It thrives in warm water, so cases tend to peak during the summer and are more common in the southern US around the Gulf Coast,' Handel said. Where have cases been reported? Advertisement The Florida Department of Health has logged 13 cases with four deaths as of July 24. There were 82 cases and 19 deaths last year, up from 46 cases and 11 deaths in 2023. 5 Cases, which tend to peak in the summer, are more common along the Gulf Coast. kittyfly – The agency noted an 'unusual increase' in infections in some parts of Florida last year because of Hurricane Helene, which struck the state in September 2024. Louisiana authorities have confirmed 17 cases, including four deaths, as of July 30. They noted that the state typically records seven cases and a death each year and blamed the uptick on 'increasing water temperatures and extreme weather events.' About 75% of the cases are from wound exposure to seawater. Advertisement North Carolina has recorded 59 Vibrio cases and one death this year as of July 31. The data includes illnesses from the vulnificus and cholera strains, as well as other Vibrio infections. The Mississippi State Department of Health told The Post it has confirmed 13 Vibrio reports so far this year, down from 50 last year. No one died from Vibrio in 2024 or 2025. Seafood consumption seems to be a common culprit. The state's data includes cases from Vibrio parahaemolyticus, which tends to cause watery diarrhea. Alabama reported 18 cases of vibriosis this year through late last month, according to local media, which said there were 54 cases in 2024. What are the symptoms? Advertisement Vibrio vulnificus symptoms depend on the type of infection. Exposing an open cut to contaminated water can cause a high fever, intense pain, swelling and redness at the wound site. 'The symptoms from skin infections can progress very quickly,' Handel said. 5 Vibrio vulnificus can also enter your body when you consume raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters. Ilja – A soft tissue infection can lead to skin breakdown, ulcers and fluid-filled blisters. Significant tissue damage can occur in severe cases. Advertisement People who have eaten contaminated shellfish could experience severe vomiting and diarrhea, which may lead to dehydration. Stomach pain, fever and chills might follow. Once in the bloodstream, Vibrio vulnificus can cause rapid and serious illness. A bloodstream infection can spur a fever, chills, dizziness, confusion, dangerously low blood pressure, a fast heart rate and blistering skin lesions. Advertisement The Florida Department of Health reports that infections that hit the bloodstream are fatal about half the time. The risk of life-threatening complications is higher for people who are older or immunocompromised, particularly if they have chronic liver disease. There is no evidence of person-to-person transmission. 5 About 75% of the Louisiana cases are from wound exposure to seawater. LoloStock – How is Vibrio vulnificus treated? Vibrio vulnificus is diagnosed by testing blood, wound fluid or stool samples. Antibiotics are administered immediately. In aggressive cases, amputation of affected limbs may be needed to remove infected or dead tissue. What can you do to protect yourself from infection? Handel recommends steering clear of open bodies of water, like the ocean, rivers and estuaries, if you have cuts or scrapes. 'To prevent Vibrio food poisoning, avoid eating raw shellfish, especially if you are immunocompromised or have chronic liver disease,' he added. 'If you do eat shellfish, make sure it has not been sitting out for a long time and comes from a hygienic source.'
Los Angeles Times
04-08-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Researchers figure out what's caused devastating sea star epidemic
A study published Monday offers long-awaited clarity on a more than decade-long marine mystery: What has been killing the sunflower sea star? In 2013, something began ravaging sea stars along the West Coast, turning them into decaying, fragmented carcasses. Over the next few years, the wasting disease (SSWD) killed billions of animals along the shore, transforming entire marine ecosystems. One species was hit especially hard: Pycnopodia helianthoides, more commonly known as the sunflower sea star. Scientists estimate the global population plummeted by 94% since 2013. California alone lost about 99% of its sunflower sea stars. For over a decade, nobody knew what was responsible. In their paper in Nature Ecology & Evolution, researchers have now identified the culprit behind the devastating epidemic — and with it, a path forward for restoration. 'This was a big deal for us,' said Alyssa Gehman, a marine disease ecologist at Hakai Institute and the University of British Columbia and senior author on the study. 'When we started these experiments, I knew we would learn more, but I honestly wasn't convinced we would actually find the causative agent of disease.' The breakthrough came during a routine meeting between Gehman and two collaborators, Grace Crandall and Melanie Prentice. They had recently tested whether heat-treated coelomic fluid — the internal body fluid of a sea star — could still trigger the disease when injected into a healthy sea star. When the injected sea stars stayed healthy, it confirmed that the disease was being caused by something that was alive. To find out what that 'something' was, the team turned to a set of techniques that reveals which genes are being expressed by what microorganisms. When they compared healthy and infected animals, one group consistently stood out—the Vibrios, a type of bacteria commonly found in marine environments. Knowing there are many Vibrios, the researchers were curious whether the wasting sickness could be tied to one in particular. Prentice ran the species-level analysis, and the result floored them. 'The whole list was Vibrio pectinocida. And it was in all of our six stars and it was in none of our controls,' Gehman said. It was 'mind-blowingly clear' that this bacteria was causing the disease, she said. For California's kelp forests, and the conservation groups trying to save them, this news is a major turning point. Sunflower sea stars are considered a keystone species, meaning they are critical in regulating the stability and diversity of their ecosystems. One of their most important roles is controlling purple sea urchin populations, a species with a notoriously voracious appetite. 'They can mow down a kelp forest and then actually remain in that ecosystem without a food source,' said Prentice, a marine biologist and study co-author. 'They enter almost like a zombie state until the kelp regrows — and then they eradicate it again.' Sunflower sea stars used to prey on the urchins, keeping their population in check. However, when wasting disease effectively wiped out their main predator, the sea urchins exploded in number, decimating kelp forests and transforming once-lush underwater habitats into so-called 'urchin barrens.' 'Kelp forests are the most important ecosystem on our coast because they house over 800 species of animals,' said Nancy Caruso, marine biologist and founder of the nonprofit Get Inspired. 'Essentially, they're the condos and apartment complexes of the animals that live on our coastline — and when they disappear, they have no place to live.' Kelp forests also filter water, store carbon, and protect coastal communities from storms and erosion, making them, as Prentice described, 'an ally in our fight against the climate crisis.' Since the 2013 outbreak, areas like Northern California have lost more than 95% of their kelp forest cover. Several sites are still considered ecological collapse zones. Researchers say recovery can now be more targeted. Prentice is currently developing a diagnostic test similar to a COVID rapid test, which could help screen animals and seawater for the presence of Vibrio pectinocida before conservationists reintroduce sea stars into the wild. 'That's going to be powerful not just for research, but for management,' she said. 'Now we can actually test animals before we move them — or test the water at a potential outplanting site and say, is this a good place for reintroduction?' Other teams are looking at breeding disease-resistant sea stars. Surviving populations may have natural immunity, which could help shape more resilient captive-rearing programs. At the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, which cares for some of the surviving sunflower stars, the new findings could help reshape priorities. 'It sharpens our focus on what it might take to reintroduce these animals in a way that is thoughtful, informed, and sustainable,' said Johnathan Casey, the aquarium's curator of fish and invertebrates. 'With each new piece of the puzzle, we feel we're getting closer to a future where sunflower stars can once again thrive along our coastline.' Sunflower sea stars used to be everywhere — on sand, rocks, kelp beds, and seagrass beds. For Gehman, that's the point. She hopes the findings help people realize that even the most abundant species can disappear very quickly.
