Raw oysters and other shellfish can possibly harbor a naturally occurring bacteria known as Vibrio vulnificus. Vibrio vulnificus belongs to the same family of bacteria as Cholera (Vibrio cholera) which causes severe diarrhea, but Vibrio vulnificus is very different. The Vibrio vulnificus bacteria find their home in warm waters off the coast. The Gulf of Mexico can provide a perfect breeding ground... [more]

As emergency teams rushed to Haiti to provide supplies and medical assistance to injured victims, one of the main health issues that arose was maintaining the safety of the water supply. A January 13, 2010 CNN article entitled “Haiti Earthquake Could Trigger Medical ‘Perfect Storm,’” describes how animal feces and decaying bodies can contaminate available water causing diarrheal infections... [more]