Marine bacteria complicating seawater near-drowning and marine wounds: a hypothesis

Of the hundreds of species of bacteria in seawater, in marine sediments, and associated with marine organisms, more than 20 are known human pathogens. Based on published data, wherein a variety of marine bacteria have been cultured from open wounds (eg, coral cuts) and from near-drowning pneumonias, it is hypothesized that these bacteria can provide a primary infectious inoculation of open marine wounds and of the respiratory tract of near-drowners.