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Contact: Lori Maldonado
Public Information Specialist
(303) 692-2028
For Immediate Release Wednesday, December 15, 2004
State Health Officials Alert Coloradans About the
Potential Dangers of Eating Raw Oysters
DENVER--State health officials Wednesday advised
individuals who have liver disease; diabetes; gastrointestinal problems; or
problems with their immune system, to avoid eating raw oysters, as they are at
high-risk for contracting a food-borne bacteria called Vibrio.
Alicia Cronquist, an epidemiologist with the Colorado
Department of Public Health and Environment’s Disease Control and Environmental
Epidemiology Division, said, “Oysters should never be eaten raw by people at
high risk; they should always be cooked thoroughly first.”
She said that in 2004, the department has seen an increase in the number of
reported illnesses caused by Vibrio.
On average, four cases of Vibrio illness are reported each
year in the Denver metropolitan area. This year, nine cases have been reported.
“It is unclear if this increase in reported cases reflects
greater consumption of raw seafood among Colorado residents or whether there has
been increased contamination of the oysters themselves. However, five of the
cases reported this year in Colorado occurred among people who ate raw oysters.
Two of these Vibrio cases were caused by Vibrio vulnificu, one of the most
severe types of foodborne diseases. Both patients with this infection were
hospitalized, and one died,” she said.
She explained that Vibrio live naturally in waters where
oysters are harvested, so although oysters should always be obtained from
reputable sources, eating oysters from “clean” waters or in restaurants with
high turnover does not provide protection.
She explained that there are several types of Vibrio illness. The type most
often seen in Colorado causes a gastrointestinal illness that usually lasts a
week or less. Vibrio vulnificus causes bloodstream infections and wound
infections and can be very severe among people at high-risk. Fifty percent of
high-risk individuals who are infected with V. vulnificus die.
While not potentially life-threatening to most healthy
people, symptoms of V. vulnificus infection may occur within 24 to 48 hours of
ingestion and may include sudden chills, fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,
shock and skin lesions.
“Anyone showing signs of these symptoms after eating raw
oysters should seek medical attention immediately,” advised Cronquist.
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