Woman dies due to bacterial infection: How dangerous is a bath in the Baltic sea is?
She was bathing in the Baltic sea and infected with bacteria: In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania died a woman to a Vibrio infection. The older woman belongs to the risk group of immune-compromised people, said the Director of the state office for health and welfare (Lagus), Heiko Wants. Where she’s from and where she’s been infected, he said.
Vibrios are bacteria of which some species in humans, diseases can cause. The best known pathogen is likely to be the Cholera. In the salt water of the Baltic sea occurring bacteria of the species Vibrio vulnificus to multiply, according to Want to jump in water temperatures greater than 20 degrees, and can wounds infect. Currently the water is at the surface of the Baltic sea from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern to 20 degrees, such as from data of the German Federal Maritime and hydrographic Agency showed.
Isolated cases of death due to Vibrios
Symptoms of infection chills, diarrhea, fever, and blistering skin rash are. A quick treatment with antibiotics can mitigate the progression of the disease strong, Will be told and advised, in the case of suspected to see a doctor. But he warned against scaremongering. Since 2003, there have been eight deaths caused by Vibrios. In the last year, the office registered, therefore, 17 the majority of infections, including three deaths.
In the face of tens of millions of bathers, the risk was extremely low, experts agree. For healthy people, the bacteria are harmless. Only in exceptional cases, a risk for immunocompromised, the elderly or patients with liver disease, or HIV was. The Federal environment Agency advises that all persons with open or poorly healing wounds, to bathe in the warm sea water. This applies in particular for people with pre-existing medical conditions or a weakened immune system.
Baltic sea, no Bathing has planned
The state office for health and social Affairs reviewed the Occurrence of the bacteria in the Baltic sea according to its own data to seven Digits. Where exactly is wanted to do not Want to say. It is also important, because Vibrios are present everywhere. The prohibition of bathing, therefore, be pointless and not planned. Warnings would be communicated via the media and via an information flyer that will be published together with the tourism Association and available on the Internet are.
In the current season, there have registered so far, four more people were infected with Vibrio, explained Want more. The “Ostsee-Zeitung” had first reported on the case of death.
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