Mysterious Rise of 'Zombie Catfish' in US Waterways: The Unexplained Phenomenon

"Zombie catfish" with a bacterial infection known as "hole in the head disease" are appearing in US waterways, causing their skin to appear melted. The highly infectious disease, enteric septicemia of catfish (ESC), is attributed to factors such as overstocking, improper diet, and poor water quality. However, experts assure that the bacterium responsible for ESC only affects fish and does not pose a risk to humans. Concerns have been raised about the impact on humans consuming these fish, but there is no evidence of zoonotic infection.