Many of the infectious diseases around us have a seasonal component. The flu, for example, is a thing of winter. Other infections are more dangerous in summer, such as those caused by Salmonella, or those caused by gender bacteria Vibrio.
A seasonal infection. A few days ago, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) issued a statement in which it remembered that, with the arrival of summer, increases the risk of vibriosisinfections caused by the bacterial genre Vibrio.
Maybe the name Vibrio It does not tell us much, but this genus contains several species of pathogenic bacteria. This genre belongs for example Vibrio Choleraethe bacteria that cause anger. Also in this genre is the so -called “carnivorous” bacteria, V. Vulnificus.
Salobres waters. Bacteria of this genre usually inhabit salobres waters, waters such as river estuaries where salinity levels are intermediate, not as high as in the sea but greater than in rivers.
These bacteria can be found in different geographical contexts. In its statement, for example, the ECDC indicates the presence of these bacteria in the Baltic Sea, where salinity conditions are especially favorable. The European center has A monitoring system of the risk in which the Black Sea is also indicated as the potential focus of infections.
Two ways. Infections by Vibrio They can occur in two very different ways. The food route is perhaps the most common. It is generally produced through seafood specimens contaminated by the bacteria and occurs when the animal is consumed in raw or little cooked. The symptoms of this infection They are similar to those of other gastroenteritis: diarrhea, cramps, vomiting, fever or chills.
The other way of infection is through wounds, and occurs When we bathe in waters contaminated by this bacterium with open wounds. These infections can lead to complications such as those given when the infection goes to our circulatory system; but also to tissue necrosis.
The nickname of “carnivorous” bacteria that is assigned to the species V. Vulnificus It is because infections caused by this bacterium can cause necrotizing fasciitisthe death of infected tissues. This is not the only bacteria that causes this problem, in fact there are bacteria, like group A streptococci that we associate with this problem more frequently, so in reality the appellation can be used to refer to bacteria of very distant species.
Relative risk The severity of vibriosis It depends on several factors. The most vulnerable people are those with liver problems, committed and elderly immune systems.
In Europe and Spain. The last cholera epidemic in Spain occurred in the 1970s, but since then various European countries have seen outbreaks caused by this and other bacteria of the genre Vibrio. In Spain, for example we do not have to go far behind to find recent cases of vibrosis (beyond the case of cholera detected a few years ago in Madrid).
According to Explain the ECDCvibriosis cases remain “relatively uncommon” in Europe. Between 2014 and 2017 there were an annual median of 126 cases, although in 2014 a more important outbreak left 445 registered cases. The heat wave registered that year can be linked to the increase in cases. In Spain, infections have also been registered, even some starring V. Vulnificus.
According to experts, these types of infections are a risk that grows summer due to the increase in temperatures associated with climate change. This increase does not affect only the concentrations of this bacterium in certain waters, it also implies its geographical expansion to estuaries and seas where before its presence had not been problematic.
Should we worry? ECDC warning should be seen as a reminder to extreme caution, not as a health or food alert. In summer it is convenient to increase our caution.
The risk of contracting these infections is greater for different reasons: The increase in water temperature It allows these bacteria to prolish more easily, which increases their concentrations and with it the risk of infection; In addition, the mere fact of spending more time in these waters makes our exposure greater.
As detailed by the ECDC, reducing the risk of these infections is partly in our hand. Avoid raw or poorly cooked seafood (especially oysters, stand out) can avoid scare. In the case of bathers, the center recommends covering open wounds, piercings or recent tattoos, avoiding the bathroom in salobres as much as possible. If the wound occurs while we are in the water, it is convenient to clean it properly and with fresh water to avoid infections.
Image | Tiffany Jae / CDC/Janice Haney Carr
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