Bacteria-Related Beach Closings Skyrocket

[Kadie]

Bacteria-Related Beach Closings Skyrocket

POSTED: 3:04 pm EDT August 5, 2004
UPDATED: 3:13 pm EDT August 5, 2004

WASHINGTON -- A pleasurable trip to the beach can have a painful side effect -- bacterial contamination.

The 14th annual survey of beach water pollution from the Natural Resources Defense Council finds bacteria in the nation's beach water caused more beach closings and advisories last year than any other year.

The NRDC survey found there were more than 18,000 days of closings and advisories at ocean and Great Lakes beaches last year -- an increase of 51 percent from 2002.

"Millions of Americans go to the beach every summer to enjoy the sun, the sand, and the surf," said Nancy Stoner, director of NRDC's Clean Water Project. "Too often they have to stay out of the water or risk getting sick."

more...
http://www.thekcrachannel.com/travelgetaways/3620595/detail.html

[Trajan]

1. The GOP HATE clean water ....

They prefer to swim in shit .....

Assholes ...

[DBoon]

2. They sure are assholes...

producing the shit we swim in

[aquart]

4. Seems fair.

[Ilsa]

3. Along our Texas beaches, we have had some serious infections

of vibrio bacteria. It normally resides shell fish, but some wading fishermen have gotten infections. At least one guy has had both legs amputated due to sores getting infected with the junk.

[SilasSoule]

5. Vibrio vulnificus

Charlie Newton's arm is shown after multiple surgeries and a skin graft, due to a bacterial infection from Vibrio vulnificus, contracted while fishing the bays of Rockport earlier this month

story: http://southeasttexaslive.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=12513039&BRD=2287&PAG=461&dept_id=512588&rfi=6

An excellent story to read the night before departing to a long weekend vacation down at South Padre.

[alarimer]

7. gross

But keep in mind that it is quite a rare infection- a couple dozen cases every year. If you clean any wounds that are exposed to seawater and clean them after, you should be fine. just watch for infection- it can be easily treated with antibiotics if caught early. The man in the picture waited too long for treatment.
http://www.tdh.state.tx.us/news/b%5Fnew526.htm

http://www.tdh.state.tx.us/epidemiology/99annual/reports/vibrio.htm

I think there has been a lot of needless hysteria over this, just like with West Nile and with the recent shark attacks.

[alarimer]

8. Vibrio is naturally occurring

It has nothing to do with pollution but is found in warm coastal waters. The bacteria are always present, but more common in summer months when the water is warmer. Just avoid raw oysters this time of year and clean all cuts that may be exposed to seawater, watch for infection and you should be fine.

[NMDemDist2]

6. these are due to the warming of the water aren't they?

algae blooms etc? Global warming side effect?

[alarimer]

9. most beach closings

Are due to the presence of E. coli which comes from untreated or undertreated sewage. Some bacteria are naturally occurring (like vibrio).

[struggle4progress]

10. Dude, Where's My Beach?

By J.R. Pegg, Environment News Service.
Posted August 6, 2004

U.S. beaches are closing in record numbers; last year was the worst year for beach closings and advisories since environmental monitoring of beach water pollution began 14 years ago.
<snip>

The study, based on federal and state data, finds 2003 was the worst year for beach closings and advisories since the environmental organization began monitoring beach water pollution 14 years ago.
<snip>

Last year there were more than 18,000 days of beach closings and advisories – an increase of 6,206 days.
<snip>

http://www.alternet.org/envirohealth/19478/


So 2003 was the worst year ever ...