The surface water temperature in the Baltic Sea has been growing as a consequence of broader changes of the Earth’s climate, which contributes to the proliferation of natural bacterioplankton and new types of bacteria, such as Vibrio vulnificus, in the region. This pathogenic bacterium finds optimal conditions for growth primarily in warm brackish waters. Places particularly vulnerable to these bacteria include shallow Baltic coastal waters where the proliferation of Vibrio strains increases in summer. The growing temperature of coastal waters boost this phenomenon, posing a serious threat to human health and the coastal Baltic tourism.
The BaltVib project implemented by marine microbiologists investigates the impact of the so-called “system engineers”, e.g. mussels, macroalgae, and seagrass, on the diversity and abundance of vibriosis. The research should help to develop strategies to mitigate the problem of excessive populations of vibriosis through nature-based solutions.
In addition to environmental and health issues, public awareness of the phenomena and future threats are equally important and these are also addressed in the project. The article presents results of a survey conducted on the Polish coast involving 140 respondents interviewed concerning their awareness of the increasing population of pathogenic vibriosis. The survey helped to diagnose how local residents perceive the threat to human health posed by Vibrio vulnificus now and in the future, as well as possible impacts these bacteria might have on economic use of the coastal waters. The survey also investigated the level of acceptance for various methods used to mitigate negative environmental changes.