Man dies from bacteria in the Baltic Sea: How to avoid infections

An invisible danger lurks in the Baltic Sea.

A man became infected with a bacterium while bathing in brackish water and died as a result of the infection.

The Schleswig-Holstein Ministry of Health is currently calling for caution. An 80-year-old man died on July 27th in a clinic in Ostholstein (Schleswig-Holstein) after an infection with

Vibrionen

, as

reported by echo24.de *

. The pensioner was probably swimming in the Baltic Sea despite an open wound and chronic previous illness and was infected with the bacteria there, as the Ostholstein district administration announced in a press release.

"Vibrio vulnificus" is a bacterium that occurs naturally in sea and brackish water - at warmer temperatures also in the North and Baltic Seas.

The Vibrionen bacterium loves salt, but prefers not too salty waters like the Baltic Sea.

In the case of prolonged cold water temperatures - especially in winter - it cannot be detected in the water.

If the water temperatures rise above 20 degrees in summer, the Vibrio vulnificus is activated and its concentration in the sea water increases.

The Baltic Sea

The Baltic Sea is an inland sea of ​​the Atlantic in Europe, consisting of brackish water.

Brackish water refers to sea or sea water with a salt content (salinity) of 0.1 to one percent.

The average salinity of the oceans is 3.5 percent.

In the western Baltic Sea, a higher salt and oxygen content can be observed due to the water exchange with the Atlantic and North Sea.

Once activated, the bacterium can maintain its activity for several weeks even when the water temperature drops.

Currently, the Baltic Sea (as of August 13) around Rügen, Usedom and Danzig has a temperature of 20 degrees.

In view of the threat of heat in Germany *, the water temperature will also continue to rise.

Vibrion bacteria in the Baltic Sea: pensioner dies of infection in Schleswig-Holstein

Vibrio vulnificus infections are rare, but occur worldwide. The most common reports come from the United States (east coast), Japan, and Taiwan. In Germany, individual cases of wound infections after contact with Baltic Sea water have repeatedly become known since 1993. So far this year in Schleswig-Holstein only one case of infection (Ostholstein) is known. Older people with an open wound who have a weak immune system or whose immune system is weakened due to previous illnesses are particularly at risk, reports the Schleswig-Holstein State Health Office.

People with open or poorly healing wounds should not come into contact with warm seawater, especially not if they have previous illnesses or have a weakened immune system.

These include above all people with chronic diseases such as liver diseases, diabetes mellitus, alcohol addiction and other diseases that weaken or suppress the immune system.

Dangerous bacteria in the Baltic Sea: how do you get infected with vibrios?

There are two ways to get infected with vibrions. On the one hand, it can be transmitted through a wound infection. This can occur through superficial, small or deep skin injuries. The bacteria can penetrate the body through an existing wound while bathing or even wading in seawater and multiply there.

The second possible route of transmission is through the consumption of raw or undercooked marine animals such as oysters, clams, crabs and fish.

The marine animals from the North and Baltic Seas intended for consumption are checked accordingly.

The rule here is that marine animals should generally not be consumed raw in order to avoid food infections and ensure that they are well cooked.

These food infections play a significant role in regions with warmer climates.

Man dies of bacteria in the Baltic Sea: important rules for vacationers

According to previous experience, the very rare infection of wounds leads to a very serious course with profound skin and tissue damage in more than half of all cases. This in turn can lead to severe blood poisoning, which, if left untreated, can quickly become life-threatening - rapid therapy is therefore very important. Eating contaminated food can cause gastrointestinal complaints with nausea, diarrhea and cramps or even cause severe blood poisoning.

In the warm summer months, if you have a suspicious clinical picture, especially wound infections after contact with warm sea water, you should consider the possibility of a Vibrion infection.

In case of suspicion, a doctor should be visited immediately.

If the suspicion is confirmed, the attending physician must report the incident as a "threatening illness" to the responsible health department.

Incidentally, not only are bacteria in seawater a danger to people, but the water itself can also become a deadly trap.

On the occasion, the DLRG warns of swimming accidents with a shock video *.

A big problem: Children drown silently * and are therefore particularly at risk.

* echo24.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.

List of rubric lists: © Stefan Sauer / dpa