Deadly bacteria is creeping up the Atlantic Coast. How worried should you be?

A dangerous wave of Vibrio bacteria is creeping up the Atlantic Coast, prompting scientists and beachgoers to reassess risk. At Pensacola Beach, researchers Bailey Magers and Sunil Kumar collect seawater samples to monitor water quality, part of Grist’s reporting on Vibrio, a lineage with more than 70 species found in warm, brackish marine environments. These bacteria can sicken or kill people who swim with open wounds or consume contaminated shellfish, particularly those with liver disease or compromised immune systems. Climate change, by warming oceans, expands Vibrio’s habitat, with activity beginning above 60 degrees Fahrenheit and increasing as coastal waters heat through the summer. Temperature and salinity are the primary predictors of Vibrio’s reach, pushing its presence north along the U.S. East Coast in recent years.