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By Lee Hyo-jin
As the weather heats up, health authorities have warned the public to pay special attention to some summer diseases, as various infectious bacteria and viruses thrive in hot and humid environments.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), the country reported this year's first case of a vibrio vulnificus infection. Commonly known as flesh-eating bacteria, vibrio vulnificus is a gram-negative bacterium that can cause fatal human infections.
"A man in his 60s showed symptoms of fever, fatigue and skin lesions on June 9, two days after he ate soy sauce-marinated crab. He was diagnosed with a vibrio vulnificus infection while receiving hospital treatment at a medical institution in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province," the KDCA said through a statement.
It also noted that 70 patients were reported to have been infected with vibrio vulnificus in 2020, among whom, 25 died, and most of the infections occurred during the summer.
A vibrio vulnificus infection can result from eating raw or undercooked seafood, particularly oysters and shellfish. It can also be contracted through open wounds when it comes into contact with contaminated ocean water.
Major symptoms of the infection include diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and skin lesions. It can be diagnosed through vibrio bacteria found in the wound or blood of the ill person.
In order to prevent getting infected with the bacteria, the KDCA recommends that the public avoid eating raw seafood, and advised people with skin wounds to avoid contact with seawater. Seafood should be stored at below five degrees Celsius, washed in fresh tap water before preparation, and cooked at temperatures above 85 degrees Celsius.
The agency added that more attention should be paid to high-risk groups who are suffering from chronic liver disease, diabetes or alcoholism, as they are particularly prone to contract the virus.
Another summer disease requiring special attention is Escherichia coli (E. coli), the most commonly reported type of food poisoning in Korea, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
Of the 8,881 patients who have suffered from E. coli-related food poisoning over the last five years, 72 percent of the cases were reported during the three months of summer from June to August.
Among the food poisoning cases in different facilities, the biggest number of patients was seen at schools, with 5,424 patients, followed by cafeterias, with 1,744 patients. There were an additional 865 cases of food poisoning involving eateries.
The most common source of E. coli was vegetables, accounting for 67 percent, followed by meal kits such as lunch boxes (10 percent), with meat and seafood taking up 4 percent each, respectively.
"E. coli usually occurs when people eat contaminated vegetables without properly washing them or consuming undercooked meat," the ministry said in a statement.
Therefore, the ministry advised people to maintain good personal hygiene while cooking and use separate cutting boards and knives for different types of food to prevent the transmission of bacteria.
"Preventing food poisoning will be especially important this summer as it is expected to be hotter and more humid than usual," the ministry added.
