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A 2-year-old boy from Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, and his grandmother were infected with Vibrio vulnificus when they came into contact with fish when they went to the vegetable market, and doctors said the boy's right foot could be amputated
▲ Source: Time video
What is Vibrio vulnificus?
Vibrio vulnificus belongs to the Vibrio family, which is a gram-negative bacterium and is the most lethal pathogenic Vibrio bacteria.
▲Vibrio vulnificus under the microscope. (Source: Peking Union Medical College Hospital)
It is widely distributed in the world's rivers and seas junction waters, inshore, bays and seabed sediments with high water temperatures, and often parasitizes shellfish and other marine organisms, such as fish, shrimp, oysters, mussels, etc.
❗❗ Route of infection
infection through skin wounds;
Infection through the consumption of seafood that contains marine bacteria.
❗❗ Susceptible population
What are the symptoms after infection?
Vibrio vulnificus is more virulent, with an average incubation period of 24 hours. About 50% to 70% of patients will develop local skin swelling and significant pain within a day or two, and the skin around the wound or at the end of the infected limb will be black-purple with blisters.
Infected patients often have symptoms such as fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and low blood pressure. The disease progresses rapidly, and if not seen in time, severe cases can progress to muscle necrosis and sepsis, and even have the risk of amputation and multi-organ failure.
How can I avoid Vibrio vulnificus infection?
❗ Eat less raw and cold seafood, and try to cook aquatic products before eating.
❗ Avoid injuries in seawater or exposing existing skin wounds to seawater.
❗ It's a good idea to wear gloves when washing seafood. Once you are stabbed by crab legs, shrimp bones, etc., rinse the wound with water in time and disinfect it with alcohol.
❗ Avoid exposing open wounds or broken skin to warm, salty waters, or areas where shellfish are abundant.
What to do if you get infected?
If you have symptoms such as skin pain, itching, swelling, diarrhea and fever, you should seek medical attention immediately and inform your doctor of your recent exposure to seawater or seafood, so as not to delay treatment.
Vibrio vulnificus is halophilic, so don't use saline or sprinkle salt on the wound to avoid aggravating the infection.
Keep an eye out for the beach
In addition to Vibrio vulnificus, marine pathogens such as beach travel can also cause similar symptoms.
If you go to the beach to play and come into contact with seawater, eat seafood, be stabbed by seafood or sharp stones in the sea, and have symptoms such as skin redness, swelling, heat, pain, nausea and vomiting, you should seek medical attention in time.
As the weather gets hotter and the holidays are approaching, we would like to remind everyone to be careful of "deadly" germs when handling seafood or visiting the beach