Latest news with #harmfulalgalblooms
The Independent
3 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Why Americans who live near coastlines and lakefronts may face heightened ALS risk
If you live near bodies of water frequently impacted by harmful algal blooms, you may be at an increased risk of dying from ALS, new research reveals. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the debilitating neurodegenerative disease commonly known as 'Lou Gehrig's Disease,' is influenced by genetics and environmental factors. It dramatically slashes the patient's life expectancy, with people typically passing away within two to five years of diagnosis. Some 5,000 are diagnosed with ALS each year in the U.S. Now, researchers at the University of Michigan Medicine say toxins produced by algal blooms in lakes and along American coasts could influence disease progression. 'While there is still limited research into the mechanism by which cyanobacteria toxins affect neurodegenerative diseases, our findings suggest that living near or participating in activities in these water bodies may influence the progression of ALS,' Dr. Stephen Goutman, the school's Harriet Hiller research professor, director of the Pranger ALS Clinic, and associate director of the ALS Center of Excellence, said in a statement. Goutman is the senior author of the study which was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Specifically, the researchers have found a toxin produced by the bloom cyanobacteria in brain and spinal fluid cerebral spinal fluid samples of people with ALS. It's known as ß-methylamino-L-alanine. Increasingly driven by human-caused climate change and nutrient pollution, the blooms are caused when cyanobacteria grows dense and out of control. Cyanobacteria produce several toxic agents that are linked neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. They surveyed participants who were seen at the University of Michigan Pranger ALS Clinic, many of whom lived within three miles of a harmful algal bloom. They measured the duration and extent of their exposure using satellite data from the Cyanobacteria Assessment Network and their residential and health histories. Ultimately, they found that living near blooms -- especially if swimming or boating -- was associated with dying of ALS nearly one year sooner. The people with the most significant exposures both lived near harmful blooms and used a private well as their water source. People in the Midwest may be particularly threatened partially due to pervasive industrial and agricultural productions in the region. Michigan's Lake Erie is frequently impacted by these blooms. 'If exposure to cyanobacteria toxins is a meaningful risk factor for ALS, the large number of inland lakes from to such bacteria in the Midwest may partly explain why the disease incidence is much higher than other parts of the country,' Dr. Stuart Batterman, first author and professor of environmental health sciences at the university's School of Public Health, said.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Sea lions released back into Pacific Ocean as toxic algal blooms move out of Southern California
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Scripps scientists have confirmed that the harmful algal blooms (HABs) that have been responsible for sickening hundreds of marine mammals in the Pacific Ocean along the California coast this spring have moved out of the area, and rescue organizations in Southern California have been busy releasing the last of the rehabilitated sea lions. Scientists with Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego report the harmful algal blooms (HABs) that produce domoic acid — which accumulates in fish and shellfish, sickening sea lions, dolphins and birds that eat them, and overwhelming local rescue organizations — are gone. California sea lions are getting sick, but what's causing it? SeaWorld San Diego Rescue teams this past spring were getting upwards of 100 calls per day for sea life in need of help as a result of the toxic algal blooms. According to the County of Los Angeles, four injured sea lion pups — Brownie, Sprinkles, Peachick and Spiderling — that were rehabilitated and cared for by the Marine Mammal Care Center, were recently released at Venice Beach with help from the Los Angeles County Fire Department Lifeguard Division and marine mammal experts. In San Diego, the SeaWorld San Diego Rescue team said the last seal lion suffering from domoic acid poisoning, and rehabilitated at SeaWorld, was returned to the Pacific Ocean on May 30. Sick sea lion rescued from busy road near Carlsbad beaches VIDEO: SeaWorld San Diego releases rescued and rehabilitated sea lions back into ocean Scripps reports that although the HABs are not in Southern California anymore, they did detect some presence around Santa Cruz in late May. NASA launches revolutionary PACE satellite to study Earth's oceans, changing climate From mid-February to mid-May, SeaWorld San Diego reports its Animal Rescue Team rescued 69 sea lions and 60 birds suffering from domoic acid symptoms. Rescue teams were overwhelmed by cases this year, but say marine rescue calls have dropped over the last three weeks. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
