A Missouri man has died after eating Vibrio contaminated raw oysters purchased from The Fruit Stand & Seafood located at 14433 Manchester Road in Manchester, Missouri, according to the St. Louis County Health Department. The serotype is Vibrio vulnificus.
All remaining oysters have been embargoed, and anyone who bought oysters from that establishment recently should not eat them and should discard them in a sealed container. While this is not technically an outbreak because one person got sick, the illness is serious and a warning is necessary.
The press release said that the oysters were probably contaminated when the establishment received them, and were not contaminated at the farmers market stand. Public health officials are trying to find the source of these oysters. The Fruit Stand & Seafood employees are cooperating with the health department in this investigation.
The man, who was 54 years old, died after contracting a Vibrio vulnificus infection. That bacteria is carried by raw oysters and other bivalves. He ate the oysters sometime in the past week. He was treated at St. Claire Hostpial and died on Thursday, June 8, 2023.
Several serotypes of Vibrio, including Vibrio parahaemolyticus, can cause disease in humans, but Vibrio vulnificus, while rare, causes the most severe illness. Symptoms of a Vibrio vulnificus infection usually start 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food, although some people get sick up to seven days later. Symptom onset is quick and abrupt and includes fever, chills, skin blisters, and a drop in blood pressure.
Patients usually do not experience diarrhea, although some people can suffer from nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. This illness can be very serious, with a mortality rate of about 33%. Vibrio vulnificus causes more than 95% of seafood-related deaths. Those with chronic liver disease, alcoholics, and people with compromised immune systems are at most risk of developing severe complications.
To reduce the risk of illness when eating shellfish, follow these steps. First, do not eat raw or undercooked oysters or other shellfish. Cook them before serving. Wash your hands with soap and water after handling raw shellfish, and avoid cross-contamination between the shellfish and other foods. And stay out of salt water or brackish water if you have a wound.
If you ate raw oysters purchased from The Fruit Stand & Seafood in Manchester, Missouri, and have been ill, see your doctor. You may have eaten vibrio contaminated raw oysters.
