Toxic Sea Microbe Linked to Illnesses
From Times Wire Reports
Researchers reported the first scientific evidence of a human health threat from a toxic microbe that has killed millions of fish along the East Coast, saying it was responsible for a new neurological syndrome. Writing in the Lancet medical journal, University of Maryland researchers blamed the single-cell microorganism Pfiesteria piscidia for problems discovered among 24 commercial fishermen, sportsmen and environmental workers who were exposed to contaminated water on Chesapeake Bay’s eastern shore last year. The syndrome was marked by several disturbing symptoms, including impaired memory, disorientation and learning difficulties.
