Kristine Mitchell, a spokesperson for the sheriff's office, told the Associated Press<\/em><\/a>, "This is a very unusual, unique situation. There were no signs of trauma, no obvious cause of death. There was no suicide note."<\/p>\n In an interview with the Fresno Bee<\/em><\/a>, Mariposa County Sheriff Jeremy Briese also said investigators were considering toxic algae blooms as a possible cause of death, but added that they're "unsure." He added that the algae blooms were "due to the recent drought," but that he doesn't "know too much detail about the toxicity of them."<\/p>\n The Fresno Bee<\/em> also reported that Sierra National Forest shared information on its Facebook page on July 13 regarding water testing results that showed "a high concentration of algae bloom."<\/p>\n "The Sierra National Forest (SNF) would like to inform those visitors who like to enjoy this area of the Merced River and SNF, not to swim, wade or allow their pets to enjoy the water," the Facebook post stated. "Some species of algal mats can produce toxins, the agency continued, "and if present, can pose a risk to humans and pets."<\/p>\n RELATED: North Carolina Boy Dies from Rare "Brain-Eating" Amoeba After Swimming in Freshwater Pond<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Toxic algae blooms, which are also known as harmful algal blooms (HABs), can form when excess nutrients are transferred from land to water, Nandita Basu, PhD, associate professor of water sustainability and ecohydrology at the University of Waterloo in Canada, tells Health<\/em>.<\/p>\n Basu explains it like this: When humans deposit nitrogen and phosphorous onto plants to make them grow—usually through fortified fertilizers—those chemicals can end up in nearby bodies of water when crops being grown don't fully absorb the extra nutrients.<\/p>\n Those excess nutrients, in turn, cause algae growth: "Whey they run off, they are food for whatever is growing [in the water]," Basu says. "They promote the growth of algae. Some of these blooms are more toxic in nature." Right now, experts don't know why some of the blooms are toxic while others aren't, but research is being done on what kinds of factors—such as wind conditions and temperature—might affect this, Basu explains.<\/p>\n RELATED: Flesh-Eating Bacteria in Long Island Sound Sickens 5 People—Here's What to Know About About the Rare Infection<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> (CDC), harmful algal blooms can be found in saltwater and freshwater, as well as brackish (a mixture of the two). They've been found across the US, Basu says, and they look like "foam, scum, mats, or paint on the surface of the water," per the CDC, which adds, "A bloom can change the color of the water to green, blue, brown, red, or another color."<\/p>\n It's been well documented<\/a> that pets and livestock can die from drinking toxic algae blooms, Basu says she can't recall a case where a human has died after exposure to them. "The California case is the first I have heard with people, and it is concerning," Basu says, adding that toxic blooms are showing up more often in areas of the country that were thought to be more pristine.<\/p>\n![\"Toxic](\"https:\/\/imagesvc.meredithcorp.io\/v3\/mm\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.onecms.io%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F12%2F2021%2F08%2F20%2Ftoxic-algae-GettyImages-1290082068-2000.jpg\")
Toxic Algae Blooms Looked at as Possible Cause of Death for Family , Green algae on water surface due to pollution of phosphates , Phosphates feed algae, which grow out of control in water ecosystems and create imbalances, which destroy other life forms and produce harmful toxins<\/span> <\/em>. <\/p>\nWhat exactly are toxic algae blooms? <\/h2>\n
How are toxic algae blooms harmful for humans and animals? <\/h2>\n