The purpose of this letter is to inform the public of virulent bacteria called Vibrio vulnificus. According to the Maryland Department of the Environment, the conditions for Vibrio vulnificus are present in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Vibrio vulnificus is a bacterium in the same family as those that cause cholera. Vibrio is one of many different types of bacteria that have been present in the Chesapeake Bay and tributaries for quite some time. The vast majority of the time, this and other forms of bacteria are harmless to humans. It normally lives in warm seawater and is part of a group of vibrios that are called “halophilic” because they require salt.

Under certain conditions such as pollution, water temperature, salinity and perhaps photosynthesis in shallow water can come together to create a virulent and potentially deadly bacteria.

The majority of the water in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries is not tested for Vibrio vulnificus. This would be not only too costly, but very time consuming. Therefore, MDE has a notice on its website that the conditions for Vibrio vulnificus may be present in our area.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Vibrio vulnificus infection is an acute illness, and those who recover should not expect any long-term consequences. However, I know of someone in my community who a year later, is still recovering after exposure to this bacteria.

Since oysters are filter feeders, the concentration of this bacterium could have the potential to be slighter higher within the oyster. Therefore it is important to thoroughly cook oysters prior to consumption. Other seafood in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries may or may not contain this bacterium. It is always a good idea to be sure that any seafood is completely cooked.

When wading in any body of water within the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, you should always wear something on your feet. This should include children. This is a safety measure to keep you from getting cut on a shell or any other sharp object in the water. Do not enter warm salt or brackish water with any open wound on your body or if you have a compromised immune system. An open wound will give the bacteria an area to easily infect.

Avoid exposure of open wounds or broken skin to warm salt or brackish water, or to raw shellfish harvested from such waters.

According to the CDC, wound infections may start as redness and swelling at the site of the wound that then can progress to affect the whole body. Vibrio vulnificus can cause severe and life-threatening illness characterized by fever and chills, decreased blood pressure and blood-tinged blistering skin lesions.

Vibrio vulnificus infection is treated with antibiotics. The CDC believes that when this infection is suspected, treatment with a combination of a third-generation cephalosporin (such as ceftazidime) and doxycycline is recommended. V. vulnificus wound infections should be treated with aggressive attention to the wound site. Treatment should be obtained within hours after exposure. If you believe you have been exposed, be sure to advise the physician you are seeing that you may have been exposed to Vibrio vulnificus so that proper medical treatment can be administered. If exposed, immediate medical attention can be the difference between full recovery and an amputation to the infected area, or death if left without proper treatment.

Roy Fedders, Dameron