Why are coral wounds notoriously prone to infection?
Answer
Contamination from the reef environment.
The high susceptibility of coral injuries to infection stems directly from their origin in the reef ecosystem, which is rich in various microorganisms. Coral scrapes and punctures act as direct portals for these environmental contaminants, including various types of marine bacteria, to enter the body. The combination of being scraped or punctured by material covered in these microbes means that thorough cleaning is not just recommended but absolutely critical to remove all foreign material, such as sand, algae, and microorganisms, before an established infection can develop.
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