- Vibrio are a group of bacteria that can be present in any body of saltwater, and risk of a Vibrio infection is high when water temperatures are above 70 degrees.
- Someone can become infected if they go into salt water with an open wound like a cut, scrape, or mosquito bite.
- In rare cases Vibrio infection can be deadly, so if you feel symptoms, go to the hospital immediately.
Vibrio are a group of bacteria that are naturally found in the bays and coastal waters of Texas, and the risk of a Vibrio infection is high when water temperatures are above 70 degrees. Recently, water temperatures in the gulf have been in the upper 80s.
“The main way that you get infected from Vibrio is through punctures in your skin. It can be from a wound, like from a fish hook, or something as small as a mosquito bite. Once it gets into your bloodstream, that’s when you can have problems," Michael Wetz, Chair for Coastal Ecosystems Processes at Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi said.
Wetz says that the main symptoms of Vibrio infection to look out for are redness and swelling at the wound site, redness spreading from the wound, and a fever. Most cases of Vibrio are not extreme, but some cases can be severe.
“99.9 percent of people who get it, are not going to have too many symptoms at all. But for that fraction of people that do end up a serious infection, it can spread really rapidly. Like you can go from just getting the infection, to having amputations, to even death within 24 to 48 hours," Wetz said.
Wetz advises anyone who feels these symptoms and was recently in saltwater, to go to a hospital for treatment immediately. Vibrio is a bacterial infection, so doctors will treat it with antibiotics.
“If you get home and you start to see symptoms that you think okay this might be a challenge, or it might be a problem, the thing to do is go to the ER right away,” Wetz said.
He also advises to stay vigilant of any cuts, scrapes, or wounds that you could get while in the water from debris in the ocean, from a fishing hook, etc.
“And also it’s a good idea if you do go into saltwater, and get a wound or a cut, that you treat it right away. So, flush it with warm water, use an antibacterial soap.”
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