A dangerous pathogen in the Baltic Sea. A 74-year-old man has died

The German Sanitary and Epidemiological Station confirmed the death of an elderly man infected with a “flesh-eating bacteria”. The pathogen also appeared in Poland.

The pathogen Vibrio vulnificus, which is dangerous to humans, has been detected in various places on the German Baltic Sea coast – informs the sanitary inspectorate of the federal state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. It was confirmed that one person, a 74-year-old man and tourist, died as a result of infection with the “flesh-eating bacteria”. It is known that he had previously bathed in the Baltic Sea while suffering from open wounds and being chronically ill.

It is for people with open wounds that the pathogen poses the greatest threat. You can become infected with it in several ways – by eating infected raw or undercooked seafood and, as in this case, by contacting the wound with infected water.

Earlier, an 86-year-old woman was admitted to hospital

One person, also in Germany, became infected earlier this summer in this second way. In August, the media published information about an 86-year-old woman who began to feel unwell after swimming in the Baltic Sea and was taken to hospital. Apart from the open wound, the woman also suffered from chronic diseases.

Infection with the pathogen Vibrio vulnificus most often resembles the symptoms of typical and well-known food poisoning. The affected person experiences diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever and chills. Necrotic changes may also appear on wounds. Symptoms last for about three days and appear almost a day after infection. If they are exceptionally strong, hospitalization is necessary.

The bacteria also attacked Poland

Until recently, the bacterium occurred mainly in tropical countries. In the Baltic Sea it appeared extremely rarely. The reason for the greater intensification of the pathogen’s occurrence is the increase in the average sea temperature.

In previous years, reports of infection with a “flesh-eating bacteria” also appeared in Poland. Two years ago, a 30-year-old man was admitted to hospital in Świnoujście complaining of severe leg pain. Part of the 30-year-old’s thigh was “devoured”. His condition was so serious that he had to be transported to Szczecin.