Health Issues and concerns on the Patuxent
Patuxent Riverkeeper has received reports lately of two unrelated individuals who became sick at different times in the past week after coming into contact with some bacteriological agent that appears to be in the Patuxent river near Broome’s Island. Initial reports from individuals (who have insisted on keeping their identities from public disclosure) suggested a known bacteriological infection known as: "vibrio parahaemolyticus".
Our organization is working with public health officials at the State, Federal and County levels to confirm the exact causes and diagnosis. Both individuals are being treated at local hospitals. One person has a serious infection described as flesh eating in nature and believes it was contracted through a skin abrasion on his leg that came into contact with the water. The other person was hospitalized with stomach and related symptoms that may have been contracted from eating crabs from Broomes Island.
Patuxent Riverkeeper has received other similar reports from time to time in prior years and nearly always in hot summer weather and in the same locale. Public disclosure of this information of these facts is provided for the purpose of keeping the public informed and is NOT intended to be conclusive of the safety of swimming or consuming shellfish in this area. We believe we have an obligation to share what we know, and what has been reported to us, especially as local County health officials have access to the same information but have chosen not to make it widely available to the public.
Our general understanding is that "vibrio" related bacteria while naturally occurring in brackish waters under certain conditions are generally not regarded as ominous by some public health officials simply because the source bacteria are naturally occurring. However we have been informed by qualified researchers that when these "natural" strains become exposed to high water temperatures, algae blooms and nutrients that often contaminate the Bay and its tributaries that the chemistry can turn decidedly toxic to human health. So we feel that people should exercise some caution when swimming in local waters this time of year if they have open cuts or suffer from weakened immune systems. Similarly seafood should be thoroughly and properly cooked.
We will continue to research these concerns and will share what we know. A recent newspaper article from the Capital papers shares pertinent information: http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/top/2010/07/17-14/Bacteria-spikes-in-area-waters-spur-warnings.html?ne=1
