Tropical climate in Europe. The sea changes beyond recognition

Tropical climate in Europe. The sea changes beyond recognition

Climate change is increasingly leaving its mark on the Mediterranean Sea. The increased water temperature favors the appearance of new, exotic animal species, such as predatory fish and toxic jellyfish, which are gradually moving towards the Adriatic coast, Italy, France and Spain. But that's not all - as water warms, the threat from dangerous microorganisms also increases.

"Carnivorous bacteria" off the coast of Italy and Spain

Italian experts have been monitoring the development of bacteria of the Vibrio genus for years, especially Vibrio vulnificus, which was detected near Sicily and Calabria over two decades ago. Currently, with increasingly warmer summers, this problem is taking on a new dimension. These bacteria grow particularly well in slightly salty, warm coastal waters, which become a place of rest for thousands of tourists in the summer.

Professor Matteo Bassetti from the University Hospital of San Martino in Genoa emphasizes that people bathing in the sea should be especially careful, especially if they have open wounds, scratches or fresh tattoos. It is through such places that bacteria can enter the body, causing serious infections.

An additional threat is consuming raw or undercooked seafood, especially oysters, which may harbor dangerous microorganisms.

Infection with Vibrio vulnificus bacteria can lead to very serious health consequences. In the human body, these bacteria cause severe wound infections, may lead to sepsis (septicemia) and, in rare cases, to gangrenous fasciitis, i.e. tissue death. People with liver disease and those whose immune systems are weakened are particularly at risk.

An alarming balance from overseas. More than one third of infections result in death

It is not only Europe that is struggling with this problem. In the United States, health authorities are also sounding the alarm. In Florida this year, several cases of infection with the Vibrio vulnificus bacterium have been reported, including several fatal ones.

Twelve infections and one death were reported in Palm Beach County from the beginning of the year through the end of July, and there were two more deaths and fourteen cases statewide. In Louisiana, the death toll rose to five.

Statistics show that the number of infections has been clearly increasing in recent years - in 2024, as many as 82 cases of infections and 19 deaths were recorded in Florida, which is a sharp increase compared to previous years.

In the United States, on average, about 100 cases of infections are recorded each year, of which as many as one third result in the patient's death.

In Europe, most infections have so far been recorded in the Baltic Sea region, but the increasingly warmer waters of the Mediterranean Sea mean that the problem is also increasing in the south of the continent.