Pfiesteria piscicida (P. piscicida) is a microscopic alga that lives in estuaries - where freshwater streams or rivers mix with and salt water - along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Scientists do not yet know if P. piscicida affects human health. However, anecdotal reports of symptoms such as headache, confusion, skin rash, and eye irritation in laboratory workers exposed to water containing high concentrations of P. piscicida - along with reports of similar symptoms in people living near waters where P. piscicida has been found - have caused concerns among the public.
Sources
Centers for Disease Control
