Oysters and Vibriosis

"Raw oysters can ruin your summer. That’s because you can get very sick from eating raw oysters. Learn about vibriosis, a disease linked to raw oysters – and how to protect your health when it comes to oysters and certain other shellfish.

The days are growing longer and the temperature is rising. For many people, that means it’s the best time to enjoy their favorite seafood: oysters. It is also the time of year that most illnesses from raw oysters occur. Whenever and wherever you like to enjoy oysters, eating raw oysters and certain other undercooked shellfish, such as clams and mussels, can put you at risk for infections.

One of the infections you might get from eating raw oysters is caused by some types of Vibrio, bacteria that occur naturally in coastal waters where oysters live. This bacteria can become concentrated in an oyster’s body because oysters function like a filter: they eat by constantly drawing in water, and materials in the water—including harmful bacteria—are retained within the oyster’s body. When someone eats raw or undercooked oysters that contain bacteria or exposes a wound to seawater that contains Vibrio, he or she can get an illness called vibriosis..."

Oysters and Vibriosis