Tuesday, August 31, 1999
Questions and answers on bacteria risks
What is vibrio vulnificus?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vibrio bacteria are naturally present in warm coastal waters such as the Gulf of Mexico, where many oysters are harvested. The bacteria can be found at all times of year, and have been detected along the East Coast up to Cape Cod, but are most abundant in warm weather.
The bacteria do not change the appearance, taste or odor of oysters.
Vibrio is found in seawater at higher levels during warm months. In fact, 88 percent of all reported vibrio infections have occurred between May and October, according to a report on the National Food Safety Database that was produced by the Mississippi State University Coastal Research and Extension Center.
How often do infections occur?
Vibrio infections severe enough to get reported are rare. In a seven-year period between 1988 and 1995, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention received reports of about 300 cases, mostly from the Gulf Coast states of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi.
How does vibrio make people sick?
Once ingested, the bacteria multiply in the intestinal tract then invade the bloodstream, said Dr. Bruce Hamilton, an infectious disease specialist at St. Luke Hospital East. Early symptoms include nausea, chills, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness and enlarged blisters (sometimes blood-filled) that most often appear on the legs.
Once in the bloodstream, vibrio can lead to septicemia or shock from a massive infection. The mortality rate from vibrio in the bloodstream is more than 50 percent.
How can infections be avoided?
Thoroughly cooking oysters will kill the bacteria. Merely steaming them until the shells open is not always enough heat. And contrary to some urban legends, soaking raw oysters in hot sauce or eating them with a shot of alcohol will not kill the bacteria.
Mississippi State offers several oyster cooking tips:
For oysters in the shell, boil for three to five minutes AFTER the shells open; or steam four to nine minutes. For shucked oysters, boil or simmer for at least three minutes or until edges curl; bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees; or fry for at least three minutes at 375 degrees.
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