MolarBoater
Contributing Member
- City
- Mountian Brook
Just recieved a Vibrio vulnificus (Vv) update from the ISSC orginally dated August 8, 2005. They est. 5,000 Americans die each year from food borne illness. With Vibrio, fatality rate is 53% with diagnosis and treatment within 48 hours crucial.
Vv is a gram neg bacterium and is the most lethal of that type which inhabits brackish to salt water. The shellfish in question are filter feeding fish most notable are raw oysters and clams.
Anyone with liver disorders, hemochromatosis, diabetes, immunocompromising conditions, cancer, past gastric surgery or on meds for stomach acid low levels. Heck, we might as well throw in the very old and very young to be safe. Infection enters via eating or when there is contact of organism with skin cuts, sores or burns in seawater caintaining Vv.
There are three clinical syndromes.
1. Primary Septicemia: fever, chills, nausia, possible vomiting and diarrhea.
Also, a sharp drop in blood pressure, with possible
intractable shock followed by death.
2 Gastroenteritis: usually due to healthy persons ingesting Vv. resulting in
milder amounts of stomach cramps, vomiting and
diarrhea. May require hospitalization w/o death.
3. Wound Infection: from skin lacerations with seawater coming direct
contact or from acute marine contact ie fish bite,
de-hooking injury, puncture by fin barb etc.
Usually, swelling, redness and intense pain with
possible blistering and tissue necrosis/gangrene.
50% require surgical debribement or amputation.
If infection enters bloodstream, death is common.
Diagnosis via blood, stool or wound sample and you should emphasis the potential for waterborne injury to speed diagnosis. Treatment is with oral and iv antibiotics, debribation of wounds or amputation. There should be state reporting mandates so check your state health dept. websites.
High risk folks would be best advised to eat no shellfish or if you are really, really adventuresome, the thoroughly cooked varieties only. Also high risk folks should avoid seawater (esp. bay waters) if they have unhealed lesions on the skin.
For more info, go to www.issc.org or call them 1-800-416-4772 or call your state health dept.
Always good to take hydrogen peroxide and alcohol on the boat to dowse wounds ASAP but be careful, I have had something leak out of a medical kit and melt (soften) Ropelene in the center console but didn't harm the gas tank!
Lastly, this is for information only and not medical advise, so go to the ER or physician immediately if you think you have an exposure, you may only have a few hours.
MolarBoater
Vv is a gram neg bacterium and is the most lethal of that type which inhabits brackish to salt water. The shellfish in question are filter feeding fish most notable are raw oysters and clams.
Anyone with liver disorders, hemochromatosis, diabetes, immunocompromising conditions, cancer, past gastric surgery or on meds for stomach acid low levels. Heck, we might as well throw in the very old and very young to be safe. Infection enters via eating or when there is contact of organism with skin cuts, sores or burns in seawater caintaining Vv.
There are three clinical syndromes.
1. Primary Septicemia: fever, chills, nausia, possible vomiting and diarrhea.
Also, a sharp drop in blood pressure, with possible
intractable shock followed by death.
2 Gastroenteritis: usually due to healthy persons ingesting Vv. resulting in
milder amounts of stomach cramps, vomiting and
diarrhea. May require hospitalization w/o death.
3. Wound Infection: from skin lacerations with seawater coming direct
contact or from acute marine contact ie fish bite,
de-hooking injury, puncture by fin barb etc.
Usually, swelling, redness and intense pain with
possible blistering and tissue necrosis/gangrene.
50% require surgical debribement or amputation.
If infection enters bloodstream, death is common.
Diagnosis via blood, stool or wound sample and you should emphasis the potential for waterborne injury to speed diagnosis. Treatment is with oral and iv antibiotics, debribation of wounds or amputation. There should be state reporting mandates so check your state health dept. websites.
High risk folks would be best advised to eat no shellfish or if you are really, really adventuresome, the thoroughly cooked varieties only. Also high risk folks should avoid seawater (esp. bay waters) if they have unhealed lesions on the skin.
For more info, go to www.issc.org or call them 1-800-416-4772 or call your state health dept.
Always good to take hydrogen peroxide and alcohol on the boat to dowse wounds ASAP but be careful, I have had something leak out of a medical kit and melt (soften) Ropelene in the center console but didn't harm the gas tank!
Lastly, this is for information only and not medical advise, so go to the ER or physician immediately if you think you have an exposure, you may only have a few hours.
MolarBoater
