Bathing in the sea: “flesh-eating bacteria” can severe infections Naturopathy, trigger the natural healing process portal
Vibrios: a health hazard when bathing
Who goes in the summer, swimming in the sea, can become infected with Vibrios. These bacteria, which are sometimes also referred to as “flesh-eating bacteria”, can cause severe disease and lead to, among other things, wound infections and blood poisoning. Some infections have been fatal.
Who takes in the height of summer, a dip in the sea, may need to see strengthened. The Federal Institute for risk assessment (BfR) points. Because at high water temperatures, bacteria of the genus Vibrio to proliferate. They can penetrate through small, unnoticed wounds in the human body and wound infections cause. Deaths have been reported.
Bacteria in fresh and salt water
Vibrios are rod-shaped, salt-tolerant bacteria, the occurrence of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) according to the world in both fresh and salt water, for example, in estuaries/bays, shallow bays/lagoons, brackish water and in inland seas such as the Austrian lake Neusiedl.
Non-Cholera Vibrios proliferate, especially in the case of a salt content of 0.5-2.5 percent and a temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius strong. These conditions are given in warm summers even in Parts of the German North sea and Baltic sea coast.
Infections about the food, or while bathing
Infect consumers could consumers through the consumption of contaminated seafood (especially if eaten raw oysters or eating not sufficiently cooked seafood and fish products) or by the consumption of contaminated water.
Most of the foodborne Vibrio infections are caused by the three species, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio vulnificus. The latter type the “meat-eating, according to experts, bacteria” to assign.
In addition to the diseases caused by food, many of the Vibrios can also Wound and ear infections cause caused by contact with Vibrio-containing water. Such a pathogen is Vibrio vulnificus, the life-threatening blood poisoning (Sepsis), a weakened defense, most of the time older people can cause is.
Such infections may occur, according to the BfR for very long periods of hot weather, after bathing in the sea or Hiking in the sea water (drift lines).
Deadly disease processes possible
Vibrio can cause wound infections. These have skin, according to the previous experience, in more than half of all cases, a very serious course with an in-depth and tissue destruction result, declared the Federal state government of Schleswig-Holstein into your website.
This, in turn, can lead to a severe blood poisoning (Sepsis). A blood infection can quickly become life-threatening, rapid therapy is therefore very important. In the past, it was also reported about the fatal infections.
Through the consumption of contaminated foods such as raw gastro-intestinal discomfort with Nausea, diarrhea, and cramps caused or a severe blood poisoning (Sepsis) are triggered can of oysters.
At risk older people with a weak immune system or people who are weakened due to pre-existing conditions in your immune system can be particularly. To do this, especially people with chronic diseases such as liver diseases, Diabetes mellitus, dependency on alcohol and other, the weaknesses of the immune system or suppressing diseases.
If you have a fast suitable and a sufficient dose of antimicrobial therapy (antibiotics) are infections patients according to the RKI also at Risk, and get patients into the handle. Untreated or too late can be treated by the rapid progression of the infection in addition to a surgical treatment (up to Amputation of affected limbs) than be required.
What should be noted
People with open or poorly healing wounds should avoid the summer, warm sea water (from 20 degrees water temperature) in the North sea and the Baltic sea. This applies all the more if you suffer from pre-existing medical conditions or a weakened immune system.
Number of infections will increase
Scientists assume that the number of Vibrio infections is expected to increase. The reason is the global warming and the associated increased temperatures of the sea water. This applies particularly to the surface of the water and the sea water near the coast.
For fishing in deeper water layers of the open sea, the consequences will be according to the BfR is likely to be less strong. Because the fish and fisheries products are not normally consumed raw, but heated or processed. (ad)