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Two people have been reported dead after eating raw oysters caught in Louisiana waters.
Rodney Jackson, a 55-year-old Air Force veteran of Dallas, bought oysters from a Florida seafood market during a recent trip to the Sunshine State in early August, the Pensacola News-Journal reported.
Local news outlets wrote that Jackson consumed some of the oysters he had purchased and fell ill with mild symptoms shortly afterward.
Florida officials say raw Louisiana oysters have caused two deaths
His symptoms reportedly worsened when he experienced difficulty breathing and was taken to the intensive care unit at Ascension Sacred Heart in Pensacola, where he was diagnosed with vibriosis. This is a bacterial infection usually associated with exposure to raw or undercooked shellfish or seawater.
CDC: Symptoms of vibriosis
Vibrio is the bacterium that causes vibriosis, which causes an estimated 80,000 illnesses and 100 deaths in the United States each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Bacteria have been reported to thrive in warm waters, including salt and brackish water, and can persist in crustaceans long after the creature has been removed from the aquatic environment.
Vibrio infection usually occurs after a person eats crustaceans covered with Vibrio or exposes an open wound to contaminated seafood or seawater.
“Oysters containing vibrio look, smell and taste like any other oyster,” writes the CDC. “Properly cooking oysters and other shellfish can kill vibrios.”
Oyster Health Facts To Know Before Your Next Clambake or Rover Visit
Jackson, who was a business director, reportedly died on Tuesday, Aug. 9, according to the Pensacola News Journal, after experts determined that raw oysters were responsible for his deadly infection.
The New York Post reported that Jackson’s oyster-related death was the second in Florida, but the first man to die from a similar cause has not been publicly confirmed.
Both documented cases are reportedly linked to oysters from Louisiana.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says the belief that “just a few oysters won’t hurt” is a myth, points out in its online “Myths of Raw Oysters” guide.
“Dr. Roberta Hammond, Food and Waterborne Diseases Coordinator for Florida, cites one death caused by Vibrio vulnificus after eating just three oysters.” It depends on many factors, including the amount of blood and the person’s underlying health.”
Grilled oysters with green chilli garlic butter are ‘briny and tender’: try the recipe
The FDA and CDC have repeatedly stated that only heat can completely kill Vibrio bacteria.
Alcohol, hot sauce, and lemon juice cannot remove harmful bacteria from shellfish and other seafood, according to the FDA and CDC.
Food safety tips suggested by the CDC include keeping cooked seafood away from raw seafood to avoid cross-contamination, washing hands with soap and water after touching raw seafood, This includes discarding shellfish that have already opened before or do not fully open after cooking.
The CDC recommends boiling oysters and other shellfish until the shells open, then continuing to cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.
Alternatively, the agency says the following cooking method has been proven safe: Steam the whole oyster for 4-9 minutes. He heats a 3-inch oyster from a heat source for 3 minutes, and at 450 degrees Fahrenheit he bakes the bare oyster for 10 minutes.
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Regarding water exposure, the CDC says that if you have open wounds or have recently had surgery, piercings, or tattoos, you should avoid salt or brackish water.
“Wear wounds if they may come in contact with raw seafood or raw seafood juices, or if they may come in contact with brackish or salt water,” the CDC writes in its oyster safety guide. “If you come into contact with salt water, brackish water, raw seafood, or juices or drips from raw seafood, wash open wounds and cuts thoroughly with soap and water.”