‘Seal finger’ infection affecting an Alaska bear hunter was a medical first

By: Yereth Rosen

Outlets: Alaska Beacon

Published: February 27, 2026

Words: 595

Last Updated: 1 week, 5 days ago

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When a 29-year-old Anchorage man returned from a bear hunt on the Alaska Peninsula in September of 2024, he had a persistent and painful finger infection that defied easy diagnosis.

His swollen and aching finger wound up making medical history.

The infection was a case of what is commonly known as “seal finger,” an infection caused by the bacteria Mycoplasma phocimorsus, a name that incorporates a compound Latin term for “seal bite.”

But instead of …

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