RICHMOND, CANADA — A little girl who was pulled underwater by a sea lion in Richmond, British Columbia may have gotten more than just trauma from the harrowing experience. There’s a chance she’s been infected with a painful disease known as ‘seal finger’. <br /> <br />ABC reports that seal finger is caused by tiny mycoplasma phocacerebrale bacteria found in the mouths of seals, sea lions, and other sea mammals. <br /> <br />Seal finger is so named because fingers are the most commonly affected, though the infection can occur in other body parts. <br /> <br />Infections typically occur through bites, or when a preexisting wound becomes exposed to the animal’s blood or saliva. The affected area becomes swollen and tender with cellulitis, and can progress to joint damage. <br /> <br />Mycoplasma do not have cell walls, which makes them resistant to certain antibiotics such as penicillin. Fortunately, tetracycline has been known to successfully treat the condition. <br /> <br />Many sealers have lost fingers or whole hands to the disease, back when treatment was not yet available. <br /> <br />The girl in Canada received a superficial wound from her ordeal with the sea lion, and is now receiving treatment for seal finger as a precautionary measure.
