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The swimmer, described by officials as “an older individual,” went into the water at a Falmouth beach with an open wound.
Massachusetts public health officials issued a warning Wednesday about the presence of a rare and potentially dangerous bacteria in the state’s coastal waters after a swimmer contracted an uncommon infection on Cape Cod.
The Vibrio vulnificus infection, from Vibrio bacteria, was identified last week in an “older individual” who went swimming with an exposed wound at Old Silver Beach in Falmouth, Falmouth and Barnstable County health officials said in a statement.
Old Silver Beach remains open, the Cape officials said, noting that the infections from the bacteria remain “extremely uncommon.”
“Cape Cod’s beaches are an important part of our economy, culture, and community,” Scott McGann, health agent for the Town of Falmouth, said in a statement. “By taking a few simple precautions, residents and visitors, and particularly anyone who is vulnerable or immunocompromised, can continue to enjoy them safely.”
There is no way to monitor bathing water for Vibrio bacteria, according to Falmouth officials.
According to state health officials, there have been seven confirmed cases of Vibrio vulnificus in Massachusetts in the last several years, including four who were likely exposed in the state.
Infections from the bacteria are more common in warmer waters along the Gulf Coast, according to public health officials.
Generally, most infections from Vibrio bacteria result from people consuming shellfish containing the bacteria, state health officials said.
Anyone exposed to the bacteria can get an infection, but immunocompromised people or those with a chronic illness, young children, and pregnant people are at greater risk from developing severe disease.
“Vibrio bacteria normally live in warm, salt or brackish waters along the Atlantic coast,” Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein said in a statement. “Heat waves and above-average water surface temperatures create favorable conditions for Vibrio bacteria to grow, making May through October generally the peak season for these bacteria. People with open wounds who spend time in the water, or those who consume contaminated shellfish, can develop an infection when the bacteria enter the body. Sometimes these infections can spread through the bloodstream and cause severe, even life-threatening illness.”
Some Vibrio infections can lead to the “flesh-eating” disease called necrotizing fasciitis, which results in the death of the flesh around the infected wound, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Symptoms of a Vibrio infection include fever, chills, vomiting, and diarrhea.
“People who have an open wound that has been exposed to warm, coastal waters are advised to monitor for signs and symptoms of infection for seven days and are advised to seek medical attention if they develop fever, chills, dangerously low blood pressure, blistering skin lesions or any redness, pain, swelling, warmth, discoloration, or discharge at the site of the wound,” state health officials said Wednesday.
To prevent wound infections from Vibrio bacteria, health officials advise staying out of coastal waters or using a waterproof bandage over any open wounds. People with open wounds should also avoid handling raw seafood, and any wounds should be washed with soap and water after coming into contact with coastal water or raw shellfish, officials said.
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