FRIDAY, Oct. 7, 2005 (HealthDay News) -- Vibrio bacteria, the same germs that can make you sick by eating raw or undercooked seafood, can cause an infection in even a small cut or wound when exposed to sea water, possibly leading to amputation and even death, a new study has found.
Vibrio are found along the U.S. Gulf Coast and other warm, brackish waters. Each year, about 8,000 vibrio infections are reported in the United States. It's estimated that one in four of those cases may be wound infections while the rest are from eating raw shellfish, according to researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
They presented their findings Thursday at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, held in San Francisco.
The researchers analyzed 3,344 vibrio infections reported in the United States between 1997 and 2004. Of those cases, 813 (24 percent) were wound infections; 77 of the patients died. Over half the people who had vibrio wound infections were hospitalized.
More than two-thirds of the people suffered vibrio wound infections while boating, surfing, swimming or walking along the shore.
Vibrio wound infections have also led to the death of at least five people who apparently contracted the infection from Hurricane Katrina floodwaters, the researchers said.
People with liver disease, older adults and those with weakened immune systems have the greatest risk of vibrio infections, the CDC study said.
If you have an open wound or cut, you should stay away from the ocean or brackish water, the CDC researchers said. If you suffer a wound or cut while in the ocean or walking along the beach, clean it well with mild soap and plenty of clean water.
More information
The CDC has more about vibrio.
