<a href="
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/UCM211147.pdf">Food-borne Illness Contaminants</a>
OYSTER FACTS
• Oysters are sometimes contaminated with the naturally occurring bacteria Vibrio vulnificus.
• Oysters contaminated with Vibrio vulnificus can’t be detected by smell or sight; they look like other oysters.
• Eating raw oysters containing Vibrio vulnificus is very dangerous for those with pre-existing medical conditions such as liver disease, diabetes, hepatitis, cancer and HIV.• Symptoms of Vibrio vulnificus contamination include: diarrhea, fever, nausea, vomiting, and skin lesions.
• 50 percent of people who are infected with Vibrio vulnificus as a result of eating raw contaminated oysters die.
• Eating raw oysters with hot sauce or while drinking alcohol does not kill the bacteria.
• Only heat can destroy the bacteria. In order to prevent contamination, and kill the bacteria, the oysters should be thoroughly cooked.
Did You Know?
• People who drink alcoholic beverages (including beer and wine) regularly may be at risk for liver disease, and, as a result, at risk for serious illness or death from consuming raw oysters.
• Even drinking two to three drinks daily can contribute to the development of liver disease, which may occur without symptoms.
• Alcoholism and infections from Hepatitis can injure the liver and impair its function years before an individual begins to experience symptoms. Liver disease puts people at risk for Vibrio vulnificus infection from raw oysters. The risk of death is almost 200 times greater in those with liver disease than those without liver disease.