a family found dead after exposure to “blue algae”?

It is a very mysterious drama that took place on August 17 in California. On that day, the Gerrish family, consisting of John, Ellen Chung, his wife, their one-year-old daughter Miju and their dog Oskin, are found. dead in an isolated area known as Devil’s Glutch (“the devil’s ravine”). It was the family’s nanny who sounded the alarm, worried that they would not be seen at home.

According to San Francisco Chronicle, John Gerrish was discovered sitting near his child and the dog, while his wife was found further up the hill. The bodies showed no visible injuries or marks.

The California newspaper claims that analyzes carried out on the corpses allowed investigators to conclude that the family had not died “by firearms or other weapons, lightning, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, cyanide exposure, illegal drugs or alcohol, or by suicide “.

The hypothesis of a cyanobacteria infection

Faced with this mystery, the trail of a contamination with “blue algae” is being considered because the Gerrish were found near a river, the Merced, polluted by these organisms. And, a few days before the macabre discovery, theEnvironmental Protection Agency, an organization responsible for protecting nature and the health of American citizens, had warned against these algae capable of “making seriously ill or killing animals and humans”.

So what are these “blue algae” so harmful to humans and animals? Although nicknamed “blue algae” because of their color, the correct term is cyanobacteria. They are what give the water a greenish color and a viscous texture. They can be ddevelop in aqueous environments rich in phosphorus and nitrogen, all combined with high heat. Analyzes carried out in September had shown a high concentration of these bacteria in the Merced River.

Contamination by the dog?

These cyanobacteria produce toxins that can be fatal to man, attacking the skin, nervous system and liver. At present, the most likely hypothesis to explain the death of the Gerrish is a contamination by their dog, Oski. The latter could have bathed, then, still wet, would have sprinkled his masters, thus spreading the toxins and resulting in their death. New analyzes are underway to try to detect these toxic agents in the family.

These algae are also present in France, especially in summer when temperatures rise. Last July, an alert was launched by the city of Castelnau-le-Lez, in the Hérault, to warn walkers and fishermen of a high risk of cyanobacteria development in the Lez river.