Some northern snakehead fish caught in Virginia waters of the Potomac River south of Washington were infected with an unknown species of mycobacteria that could harm other creatures, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Mycobacteria can cause chronic disease in a variety of animals, including mammals. But there is no indication of a health risk to people who eat infected snakeheads that have been cooked, Virginia state fisheries biologist John Odenkirk said.
More research is needed to determine the potential effects of the bacteria on the snakehead population and other species, USGS veterinarian Christine Densmore said.
The predatory fish can breathe air and survive on land. They've been reported in at least nine states since they were discovered in California in 1977.
