New Yorkers Warned Of Rare Skin Infection Outbreak Caused By Raw Fish In Chinatown
Huffington Post
The handling of raw fish at three New York City Chinatown markets has led to an outbreak of a rare skin infection.
The city's health department has identified 30 people with the infection-- caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium marinum-- all of whom handled live or raw seafood at the Chinatown markets in Queens, Manhattan, and Brooklyn.
M. marinum, as it's called, can travel from contaminated fish into a human body through a break in the skin, such as a cut. According to the health department, symptoms include "skin lesions, pain and swelling to the hands and arms and even difficulty moving fingers."
Although not usually considered life-threatening, the infection can worsen over time. Those who leave it untreated for weeks or months may have to undergo surgery.
Warning Graphic photos at link. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/05/chinatown-skin-infection-new-york-raw-fish_n_4905046.html?utm_hp_ref=food&ir=Food