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As a result of the projected rise in sea surface temperature, increases in harmful algal blooms (see section 4.4) have been projected for the North Sea and the Baltic Sea (Glibert, et al., 2014). Elevated marine water temperatures also accelerate the growth rate of certain pathogens, such as Vibrio species that can cause food-borne outbreaks from infected seafood. On rare occasions, ingestion may lead to severe necrotic ulcers, septicaemia and even death if individuals are being exposed during bathing in contaminated marine environments (EEA, 2017b).
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Very useful report, thank you.
Vibrio bacteria can also cause e.g. wound and ear infections. For example, during the warm summer 2014, many (37 %) Vibrio infections in Finland and Sweden were accosiated with ear. Infections had been found in the coastal area of Baltic sea. Ref: Baker-Austin et al, Emerg Infect Dis, 2016 Jul, 22(7).
Thank you for the feedback. The Vibrio case in Scandinavia during the 2014 heatwave is indeed very interesting. We have added additional Box case with the following text:
"An extreme heat wave in northern Scandinavia during summer 2014 led to unprecedented high sea surface temperatures, which appear to have been responsible for the emergence of Vibrio bacteria at these latitudes. In Sweden, 2014 was the warmest year on record since recordkeeping began in 1860. A total of 89 Vibrio infections were reported in Sweden and Finland during the summer and autumn 2014. Most of the cases in Sweden occurred during bathing in the Baltic sea. Large number (33 or 37%) of cases were associated with ear infections, for a lower number of cases (17 or 19 %), Vibrio organisms were isolated directly from blood, suggesting more serious systemic disease progression, there was also one fatality noted.
Reported infections began in July 2014 and peaked in August, before decreasing significantly in September The emergence of vibriosis in high-latitude regions requires improved diagnostic detection and clinical awareness of these emerging pathogens (Baker-Austin, et al., 2016)."
In 2018, when the summer was extremely hot, the number of serious vibrio infections increased sharply in Sweden after bathing, primarily in the Baltic Sea. Vibrio is the most important health effect due to bathing in Sweden with seriously, even deadly outcome due to infected wounds and blood infections. Vibrio infections is a notifiable disease in Sweden and in hot summers the incidence of vibrio infections are high with multiple cases notified. It is a concern at higher water temperature and more bathers will result in more infections. In Sweden most bathers are infected in the brackish water of the Baltic sea.
Swimmers itch is also a common health problem related to warm weather in especially fresh water lakes and brackish water and will probably be more common.
Thank you for the feedback. We have added additional Box case with the following text:
"An extreme heat wave in northern Scandinavia during summer 2014 led to unprecedented high sea surface temperatures, which appear to have been responsible for the emergence of Vibrio bacteria at these latitudes. In Sweden, 2014 was the warmest year on record since recordkeeping began in 1860. A total of 89 Vibrio infections were reported in Sweden and Finland during the summer and autumn 2014. Most of the cases in Sweden occurred during bathing in the Baltic sea. Large number (33 or 37%) of cases were associated with ear infections, for a lower number of cases (17 or 19 %), Vibrio organisms were isolated directly from blood, suggesting more serious systemic disease progression, there was also one fatality noted.
Reported infections began in July 2014 and peaked in August, before decreasing significantly in September The emergence of vibriosis in high-latitude regions requires improved diagnostic detection and clinical awareness of these emerging pathogens (Baker-Austin, et al., 2016)."