The CAM asks not to bathe in the Manzanares for a bacterium that can cause death

The Community of Madrid has reversed the dangerousness of bathing in the waters of the Manzanares River by the presence of a cyanobacterium that can cause damage to any living being if it is ingested.

The high temperatures, unusual at this time of year, have contributed to the presence of this germ be much larger than normal. As a general rule, the bacterium is found in the Sierra de Guadarrama, and its presence is not rare, although not in these quantities.

The Cyanobacterium Phormidium can generate a toxin that, if ingested by animals or people, could cause neuronal damage and even death. The bathroom in the area of ​​La Pedriza or in the Santillana reservoir is, therefore, discouraged especially to "children or pets who come to the river to cool off", as explained by the Community of Madrid.

As they point out from the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park, cyanobacteria belong to a group that is characterized by prokaryotic cells, that is, similar to those of bacteria, and that also have the ability to perform photosynthesis. Your presence is usual in rivers of France, New Zealand, cOn presence also in Andalusia.

Among the effects that may be generated in living beings are neurological disorders and, in more extreme cases, death. These cyanobacteria are usually found in Submerged rocks as a crust, although they also accumulate on the banks of rivers. Hence the danger posed to animals or children if they come to cool or drink, because it can be ingested by accident.