Far more common than Shark Attacks and every bit as dangerous
While there are other topics vying for my attention, I am writing this article now because it could be a matter of life or limb and because it is summertime. As seafarers and fishermen, we are all too familiar with the risks of our profession, from the perils of the ocean to the hazards of the marshes. We have tools to protect us from the elements, handle large fish safely, shield ourselves from the sun, and more. However, there are invisible threats that can be just as deadly. Vibrio vulnificus is one such threat. I have had a personal encounter with it, as has our Pro-Staff member Donny Landry. These personal experiences make the information in this article all the more relevant and crucial for your safety. More on that later.
What is Vibrio:
Vibrio vulnificas is a group of Vibrio bacteria found in warm coastal waters, mainly brackish waters. The group is “halophilic,” meaning it requires salt. It is also called flesh-eating bacteria. Vibrio infection can occur after eating raw or undercooked seafood. About 10% of cases, the other 90% arise from open wound contact with salt or brackish water. By being aware of it, using good sense, and, most importantly, using preventative measures, you can significantly reduce your risk of infection. This emphasis on preventative measures underscores their importance in reducing the risk of Vibrio infection. Remember, these infections are preventable for the most part, and you have the power to protect yourself.
Seasonal infection Rates:
Notably, most infections occur during the peak summer months, Late May through October. When the water starts to cool, infection rates fall significantly. This seasonal pattern is crucial for understanding when you are most at risk.
Prevention:
One protection method that fishing guides along the coast use is Super Glue. Before leaving the dock, you can cover minor cuts or abrasions with a few drops of Super Glue. When handling fish, be careful not to get finned, which, after handling enough fish, can be hard to do; even the smallest of punctures can cause infection. Because of our own experience, we now always carry a spray bottle of bleach and water solution: 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. If we are cast netting for bait or have handled enough fish to get finned or cut from gill plates, we stop, spray with a bleach solution, rinse with fresh water, and then repeat. If going for a day on the beach, I would make this a part of every beach bag. Walking on the beach and stepping on a sharp object, rocks, seashells, or anything can be an entry point for infection. Wearing water shoes is a great preventative measure as well. Another great product that can be effective prevention is “Bag Balm,” available at Amazon a product used to treat cow udders and also used by many to moisturize dry skin. It uses an antiseptic called 8-Hydroxyquinoline sulfate, which contains compounds that can be effective at preventing infection by applying after a day on the water to any cuts or abrasions. One of the effective antibiotics used to treat Vibrio infections is Quinolone, derived from Quinoline.
Treatment:
If you even remotely suspect through symptoms that you might be dealing with a Vibrio infection, seek medical help immediately. Early treatment will increase your chances of survival and complete recovery. I can not overstate enough the importance of early diagnosis and treatment. The mortality rate of infection is about 33-35%. Even if you survive, your treatment can include amputation to save your life. Symptoms usually occur within 1-3 days and can consist of reddening and inflamed tissue, blistering and ulceration of the skin, and pain in the area where the infection occurred. If ingested from eating undercooked or raw seafood, symptoms can include Diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever, and chills. Although antibiotic therapy is effective, bariatric treatment can not be understated. If you are infected, immediately find and be aware of the closest hospital with a bariatric chamber and be prepared to go.
Our experiences with it:
My experience with a suspected infection came after the first three days of working on a commercial snapper boat after handling hundreds of red snapper and getting finned and cut by gill plates. I noticed on the second day that my hands had been punctured and cut quite a bit, and that night, they began to get inflamed and swell. On the third morning, they were very painful and getting worse by the end of that day, I could not close my fingers, and the pain had become so intense that I could not sleep. When I mentioned it to one of the crew, who was also the cook and a lifelong commercial fisherman, he asked to look at my hands. After inspecting them, he looked concerned and said I have something to help. If not, you’re going to need to see a doctor. He took a green tin of Bag Balm available at Amazon from the first aid kit on board and instructed me to cover my hands with it. Then, he gave me a pair of loose cloth gloves and told me to soak them with the Bag Balm and sleep with them on. It was not a process that I was looking forward to at all, but if it was going to stop the pain, I was all in.
The following day, after trying to sleep with my arms outstretched to keep from rubbing Bag Balm all over the bed, I awoke to my hands not feeling as if they were burning and I could move my fingers a lot better.
I continued the process for another three nights, and the treatment had dramatically reduced the redness, inflammation, and swelling. I continued to rub Bag Balm on my hands for another three days, and eventually, they became hardened by the sun, salt, and sea, and the cuts were minor and less frequent. I also handled the fish differently, using a loop of a hundred-pound monofilament line as a de-hooker. It was astonishing then that a product used to treat cow udders, which I had been unaware of, had been responsible for the cure. I was even more astonished when researching this article. I found that the active ingredient in Bag Balm was Quinoline and that one of the primary antibiotics used to treat Vibrio is Quinolone derived from Quinoline. Was I professionally diagnosed with Vibrio? No, but the circumstances and symptoms were more than suspect.
Pro Staff member Donny Landry’s experience with it was diagnosed and was life-threatening. As he had done hundreds of times, he was cast netting for bait at Marsh Island and had a tiny cut on his shin. After dragging the cast net out of the salty marsh water and across his shin, he was infected with Vibrio vulnificus and underwent a painful and scary recovery process. Symptoms appeared after about three days: the same reddening, inflammation, and pain in his leg and darkening of the skin with lesions beginning to form. After a trip to the doctor, they prescribed intensive antibiotic treatment, and a few days later, with no improvement, the pain intensified, and his leg turned almost black. He was sitting in the doctor’s office with his iPad, reading everything he could to discuss with the doctors. He came across an article discussing the effectiveness of bariatric treatment for Vibrio. He immediately started asking the doctor to be treated using this, and they resisted either out of ignorance on their part or just adhering to their training and, of course, Big Pharma, which I will say no more about here. They finally conceded to the treatment, and after the second day of treatment, the pain was subsiding, and his leg was starting to change color. It was an ordeal that none of us would forget. After a month of treatment and a recovery time of eight weeks, give or take, he was and is just fine. Had the Doctors prescribed bariatric treatment initially, along with antibiotic treatment, the near-death experience would not have been so traumatic. The accompanying photos give only a partial view of what he went through. Another friend of his, while taking the boat out of the water, scraped his arm on the trailer, was infected, and had to have his arm amputated above the elbow.
This article is not written to scare anyone to the point that they are afraid to enjoy the outdoors. It is written to inform people and offer information that may prevent infection and aid in treatment if infected.
Consider these statistics: In 2023, there were 69 Total Shark Attacks reported Worldwide, 36 of which were in the US, and two of which were fatal. This is a meager mortality rate.
The CDC reports approximately 150 to 200 hundred cases of Vibrio vulnificus every year, and about 1 in 5 die from it, so compared to Shark attacks, it is a more potentially deadly threat.
With knowledge, awareness, and prevention, you can enjoy every minute in the great outdoors. I know I will never stop, and I hope you don’t either.
