Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB)-Associated Illness

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Sixteen states voluntarily reported 368 harmful algal blooms (HABs) that resulted in a total of 117 human illnesses and at least 2,715 animal illnesses.
HAB events predominantly occurred in summer months, peaking in August (92; 25%), and most (90%) of the 368 HAB events occurred in freshwater bodies such as lakes and reservoirs.
Human illnesses occurred primarily in June (38; 33%), and the most commonly reported signs and symptoms were gastrointestinal, generalized (e.g., headache, fever), and dermatologic.
Animal illnesses occurred primarily in August (2,328; 86%) and mostly involved wildlife, including a mortality event that killed at least 2,000 bats.
The most commonly reported signs in animals were genitourinary (e.g., dark urine) in wildlife, followed by gastrointestinal (e.g., vomiting) and generalized (e.g., lethargy) in domestic pets.
Most HAB events were classified as confirmed (85%), human illnesses as probable (89%), and animal illnesses as confirmed (74%).

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