[TamiW]

That's been looked at numerous times and it's still debated but the general consensus seems to be no.. However, numerous pathology studies have come back with no bacteria. Sometimes vibrio is found in association with it, but most assume is that trauma from the gas allows for an invasion of opportunistic bacteria.

Further on that note, people have tried treating with antibiotics and they generally don't work. Diamox, which acts on carbonic anhydrase does resolve the symptoms, at least in the short term.