2 Florida deaths linked to bacterial infection from eating raw oysters
The deaths are reportedly linked to oysters from Louisiana. The two separate occasions happened a week apart in Escambia and Broward counties, according to the Florida Department of Health.
Oyster shells are saved and donated to help build an oyster reef
The reef will act as a living shoreline which can help improve water quality, reduce wave energy and control erosion in the lagoon.
A warning to shellfish lovers: Health officials are investigating the deaths of two people in Florida linked to eating raw oysters.
The deaths are reportedly linked to oysters from Louisiana. The two separate occasions happened a week apart in Escambia and Broward counties, according to the Florida Department of Health.
Eating raw oysters and other undercooked seafood can put people at risk for infections, including vibriosis, which is caused by certain strains of Vibrio bacteria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
So far this year, there have been 26 Vibrio vulnificus infections reported in Florida. Six of those resulted in deaths, data from the Florida Department of Health shows. Nationally, an estimated 80,000 people have fallen ill and 100 deaths are reported every year from the bacterium that usually lives in warm, brackish seawater, the nation's top public health agency reports.
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In 2019, the CDC and public health and regulatory officials in several states investigated a multi-state outbreak of gastrointestinal illnesses linked to raw oysters harvested from Estero El Cardon estuary in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. Sixteen ill people were reported from five states. While no deaths were reported, two people were hospitalized.
While most Vibrio infections from oysters result in only diarrhea and vomiting, some infections, such as those caused by Vibrio vulnificus, can cause more severe illnesses, including bloodstream infections and severe blistering skin lesions.
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"It’s not a contaminant, it’s a natural inhabitant, and we know when the water temperatures increase, usually above 68 degrees Fahrenheit, that this organism is going to be present," Dr. Frank Lopez with Louisiana State University Health told FOX 8 in New Orleans.
Many people with weakened immune systems who contract more severe infections require intensive care or limb amputations, and 15 to 30% of infections are fatal.
"Liver disease, anybody who’s immunosuppressed, people who have chronic medical conditions like diabetes or cancer are also at increased risk," Lopez said.
The bacteria typically grows faster during warmer months, and most infections occur from May through October. People with open wounds, cuts or scratches can also be exposed through direct contact with seawater or estuarine water.
Health officials advise people to thoroughly cook oysters and other shellfish by frying, stewing or roasting to eliminate harmful bacteria and viruses in the meat.