Public Health Alert: Vibrio Bacteria Risk in Massachusetts Beaches
Health officials in Massachusetts have warned the public about a potentially deadly bacteria in coastal waters after a person was infected. The state’s Department of Public Health issued a warning Wednesday about Vibrio bacteria following what it called 'an extremely rare case' of Vibrio vulnificus infection. Officials stated the person was most likely exposed to it while at a beach on Buzzards Bay. Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein explained that Vibrio bacteria normally live in warm, salt or brackish waters along the Atlantic coast, with heat waves and above-average water temperatures creating favorable conditions for growth. This makes May through October the peak season for such infections. Symptoms include stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever, and chills. Some infections can lead to necrotizing fasciitis, or 'flesh-eating disease,' which has seen rising death rates in Southeastern states like Florida and Louisiana. People with open wounds or those eating contaminated shellfish are at risk. The CDC reports that about 1 in 5 people with Vibrio vulnificus infection die. In Massachusetts, there have been only seven confirmed cases in recent years, with four likely exposed locally.