Connecticut health officials warn the public of the risks of raw shellfish after reporting 19 Vibrio cases
The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) is warning residents of the dangers of eating raw or undercooked shellfish after an increase in cases of Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection.
Since June 2013, Connecticut has reported 19 confirmed cases of Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection, compared to an average of seven cases reported during the same time period in the past two years.
Vibrio lives naturally in sea water and foodborne vibrio infection is most often linked to eating raw oysters. It is rare, but can cause serious, life-threatening infection, especially in people with liver disease. Image/CDC
“The unusual number of cases of Vibrio infection is cause for concern,” said Dr. Matthew Cartter, State Epidemiologist for DPH. “It tells us that Vibrio bacteria are present in the area and people should use caution when eating or harvesting shellfish.”
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a bacterium in the same family as those that cause cholera. It lives in brackish saltwater and causes gastrointestinal illness in humans. V. parahaemolyticus naturally inhabits coastal waters in the United States and Canada and is present in higher concentrations during summer.
V. parahaemolyticus causes watery diarrhea often with abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, fever and chills. Usually these symptoms occur within 24 hours of ingestion. Illness is usually self-limited and lasts 3 days. Severe disease is rare and occurs more commonly in persons with weakened immune systems.
Cooking shellfish until the shells just open is not sufficient to kill Vibrio bacteria. To prevent Vibrio infections, shellfish need to be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F for at least 15 seconds. Clams, mussels and oysters will open when cooked. The Food and Drug Administration suggests steaming oysters for 4 to 9 minutes or boiling them for 3 to 5 minutes after they open.
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