The convergence of climate, recreation and health: La Niña, crab catching and necrotising fasciitis, a case series
Context: Necrotising fasciitis is a rapidly progressing, life-threatening soft tissue infection that carries a high morbidity and mortality, especially in susceptible populations. Issue: During the La Niña spring-summer-autumn of 2021-2022, five male patients aged between 59 and 86...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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James Cook University
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Rural and Remote Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9705/ |
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| author | Daniel Bermingham Bruno De Vidal Chaves Anamika Ganju Arifuzzaman Khan Angela Ratsch |
| author_facet | Daniel Bermingham Bruno De Vidal Chaves Anamika Ganju Arifuzzaman Khan Angela Ratsch |
| author_sort | Daniel Bermingham |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Context: Necrotising fasciitis is a rapidly progressing, life-threatening soft tissue infection that carries a high morbidity and mortality, especially in susceptible populations.
Issue: During the La Niña spring-summer-autumn of 2021-2022, five male patients aged between 59 and 86 were admitted into the Hervey Bay Hospital (Queensland, Australia) intensive care unit (ICU) with necrotising fasciitis and multi-organ failure. All five patients had been in saltwater rivers within the local Fraser Coast area and either hunting for Scylla serrata (commonly known as green mud crabs), or descaling barnacles from their vessels. Following rapid and extensive surgical intervention and aggressive antibiotic and supportive treatment, all five patients were either discharged home or are currently in rehabilitation.
Lessons learned: With a strong possibility of future floods due to climate change and the cyclic return of the La Niña in the future, this article highlights a potential public health issue. This case series demonstrates the importance of increased vigilance for necrotising fasciitis by frontline healthcare staff after flooding events. Identification and escalation of a potential public health warning about the need for vigilance by people experiencing even the smallest of injury by green mud crabs or barnacles post-flood event may need to be considered.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-780352909e194b71ae103bda1252881a |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1445-6354 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | James Cook University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Rural and Remote Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-780352909e194b71ae103bda1252881a2025-08-20T03:24:00ZengJames Cook UniversityRural and Remote Health1445-63542025-06-012510.22605/RRH9705The convergence of climate, recreation and health: La Niña, crab catching and necrotising fasciitis, a case seriesDaniel Bermingham0Bruno De Vidal Chaves1Anamika Ganju2Arifuzzaman Khan3Angela Ratsch4Hervey Bay HospitalHervey Bay HospitalHervey Bay HospitalWide Bay Hospital and Health ServiceWide Bay Hospital and Health Service Context: Necrotising fasciitis is a rapidly progressing, life-threatening soft tissue infection that carries a high morbidity and mortality, especially in susceptible populations. Issue: During the La Ni&ntilde;a spring-summer-autumn of 2021-2022, five male patients aged between 59 and 86 were admitted into the Hervey Bay Hospital (Queensland, Australia) intensive care unit (ICU) with necrotising fasciitis and multi-organ failure. All five patients had been in saltwater rivers within the local Fraser Coast area and either hunting for Scylla serrata (commonly known as green mud crabs), or descaling barnacles from their vessels. Following rapid and extensive surgical intervention and aggressive antibiotic and supportive treatment, all five patients were either discharged home or are currently in rehabilitation. Lessons learned: With a strong possibility of future floods due to climate change and the cyclic return of the La Ni&ntilde;a in the future, this article highlights a potential public health issue. This case series demonstrates the importance of increased vigilance for necrotising fasciitis by frontline healthcare staff after flooding events. Identification and escalation of a potential public health warning about the need for vigilance by people experiencing even the smallest of injury by green mud crabs or barnacles post-flood event may need to be considered. https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9705/barnaclesflood watersgreen mud crabsLa Niñanecrotising fasciitis<i>Scylla serrata</i>. |
| spellingShingle | Daniel Bermingham Bruno De Vidal Chaves Anamika Ganju Arifuzzaman Khan Angela Ratsch The convergence of climate, recreation and health: La Niña, crab catching and necrotising fasciitis, a case series Rural and Remote Health barnacles flood waters green mud crabs La Niña necrotising fasciitis <i>Scylla serrata</i>. |
| title | The convergence of climate, recreation and health: La Niña, crab catching and necrotising fasciitis, a case series |
| title_full | The convergence of climate, recreation and health: La Niña, crab catching and necrotising fasciitis, a case series |
| title_fullStr | The convergence of climate, recreation and health: La Niña, crab catching and necrotising fasciitis, a case series |
| title_full_unstemmed | The convergence of climate, recreation and health: La Niña, crab catching and necrotising fasciitis, a case series |
| title_short | The convergence of climate, recreation and health: La Niña, crab catching and necrotising fasciitis, a case series |
| title_sort | convergence of climate recreation and health la ni ntilde a crab catching and necrotising fasciitis a case series |
| topic | barnacles flood waters green mud crabs La Niña necrotising fasciitis <i>Scylla serrata</i>. |
| url | https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/9705/ |
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