A Missouri man has passed away after eating raw oysters contaminated with a flesh-eating bacteria known as Vibrio vulnificus.
The St. Louis County Public Health Department reported that the unnamed 54-year-old man contracted the illness after consuming oysters from a seafood stall in Manchester, Missouri called The Fruit Stand & Seafood.
Individuals infected with Vibrio vulnificus can experience stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, blisters and, in rare cases, may even pass away from the infection.
According to Food Safety News, signs of a Vibrio vulnificus infection usually occur 12 to 72 hours after consuming raw or undercooked seafood, though symptoms may take up to a week to develop.
According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the chances of becoming infected with Vibrio vulnificus can be lowered by doing the following:
- Always ensure that oysters and other shellfish are cooked before being eaten.
- After handling raw shellfish, always wash your hands with soap and water.
- Keep cooked and uncooked shellfish, as well as their liquids, separate.
- If cuts have come into contact with seawater, raw seafood, or the juices from it, thoroughly wash them with soap and water.
