Warning on Vibrio
One of our members asked me to
send out a warning on Vibrio,
which is a naturally-occurring
bacteria in brackish waters such
as those under your keels.
Please take a few minutes to
read his recent experience with
this bacteria, word for word,
except for his identity.
"I run XYZ Charters and want to
let everyone know about the Vibrio bacteria
and how dangerous it is. My Dad
who is my mate got it recently
and spent several days in shock
trauma. It is a life threatening
flesh eating bacteria found in
our waters but more prevalent as
water warms. He has a very long
road ahead of him, lucky to be
alive and still have his arm.
Yesterday I had a small scratch
on my knuckle that quickly
became infected. Knowing what
happened to my father I quickly
came to the hospital and was
also diagnosed with Vibrio
and admitted on antibiotics.
They are hopeful I will not need
surgery but my Dad has skin
graphs starting Friday.
They say this is very rare but I
am starting to wonder. Shock
trauma doc said 50% of those
that get this don‘t survive
mainly because of delay in
treatment. Please be careful out
there, this is no joke! If you
have any doubts about a cut or
scrape, go to the ER. I have
attached a pic of my finger and
my father’s arm." (photos
below)
Distribution and abundance of Vibrio can
be predicted by the National
Centers for Coastal Ocean
Science. Unfortunately for us, Vibrio is
most abundant in warm waters
from Smith Point to Love Point
(especially the Choptank River).
Their "Probability of Vibrio in
Chesapeake Bay" distribution map
can be found here .
From "Five
facts about Vibrio"
- a fact sheet by the Chesapeake
Bay Program... There are steps
you can take to protect yourself
from Vibrio.
While the risk of contracting Vibrio can
never be completely eliminated,
there are some simple rules you
can follow to avoid your risk of
infection by these bacteria:
-
Avoid swimming in
the Bay for 48 hours after
rainfall. In
the days following a
rainfall, bacteria levels
increase dramatically as a
result of stormwater runoff.
If you are unsure as to what
this means for your local
waterways, consult the Vibrio forecast
map.
-
Avoid raw and
undercooked shellfish. Get
creative with your oyster
recipes. Among Vibrio patients
with illnesses linked to
oyster consumption, 89%
reported to have consumed
their oysters raw. You can
ensure that your favorite
shellfish are safe to eat by
broiling, baking, frying or
even grilling them at
appropriate temperatures
before you eat them. Rather
than limit your oyster
consumption, the summer can
afford you the opportunity
to introduce some new
flavors to your plate.
-
Do not swim with
open wounds, scratches or
ear infections. If
this is not possible, cover
wounds securely with a
waterproof bandage.
-
Wear protective
equipment. When
handling raw shellfish or
going for a swim, wear water
shoes and gloves to decrease
your chance of incurring a
wound.
-
Pack antibiotic
ointment or hand sanitizer. There
is no telling when a wound
might occur. Always have
easy access to antibiotic
ointment or hand sanitizer
to immediately treat a wound
and greatly decrease the
risk of infection.
-
Shower and wash your
hands. The
best way to stay clear of
any illness is to stay
clean, and this goes for
avoiding Vibrio,
too. Be sure to shower as
soon as possible after
swimming in the Bay and its
tributaries. Wash your hands
before handling food,
especially shellfish.
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