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Who doesn’t love to go the beach in the summer, when the locals rule the roost and you can have the place all to yourself? Recent media reports on the news and on Facebook, though, have given way to more worries for people who love to swim in the Gulf, and leave them wondering: Is it safe to go in the water? According to local officials, if you don’t have open wounds and a compromised immune system you are more than likely going to be all right ... but educate yourself first. There are several types of bacteria that live in the very warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. One of them, Vibrio vulnificus, is a warm saltwater bacterium that has made national headlines in the last few years after several infections were reported around the state. It is fatal approximately 50 percent of the time, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but there is no indication of a recent increase in occurrences of Vv infection. Vv is in the water much of the time during the summer months when the water is warm; it is a common bacterium that thrives in saltwater when it becomes warmer than 70 degrees. According to a paper published in 1999 by the Department of Health Bureau of Epidemiology, Vv bacilli colonize filter-feeding animals such as oysters, crabs and mussels, and they can also be found floating freely in the water. The Florida Department of Health has reported from 2008 through 2012 there were 133 cases reported statewide – an average of 27 per year. During the same period there were 44 deaths, which means about 33 percent of the cases during that period were fatal. In 2013 there were 41 cases reported statewide with 11 fatalities. According to the CDC, healthy individuals who ingest Vv bacillus might display symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. When Vv enters the bloodstream of a person with a compromised immune system, though, severe symptoms including blistering skin lesions and septic shock can sometimes lead to death. This severe infection may occur regardless of whether the infection came from contaminated food or an open wound. People with poor circulatory systems should also be very careful when swimming in warm Gulf water. Necrotizing wound infections can occur in injured skin exposed to contaminated marine water. Remember that Vv can also enter the body through puncture wounds from the spines of fish such as tilapia, catfish or stingrays, as well as from shells or rocks. When Vv is present in raw or undercooked shellfish (most commonly oysters) you will never know it, as it does not alter the appearance, taste, or odor of the meat. Educate yourself regarding VULNIFICUS VIBRIO By Marcy Shortuse


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