A Florida man dies after eating raw oysters contaminated with "flesh-eating" bacteria

A 71-year-old Florida man died after eating raw oysters contaminated with a flesh-eating bacterium.

The man ate oysters contaminated with Vibrio Vulnificus on July 8 and died two days later. . The name of the man or restaurant where he was eating was not released.

According to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 80,000 people suffer from vibriosis each year in the United States and 100 die from their infection.

Symptoms may include diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, chills, fever, shock, skin lesions and wound infections. Vibrio is deadly in about half of the cases in which it enters the bloodstream, a condition commonly seen in people with compromised immune systems.

According to the Florida Department of Public Health, there were 16 cases of Vibrio this year, with three deaths. There were 49 cases reported last year with 11 deaths.

Vibrio bacteria are found in warm waters, such as a bay or the Gulf of Mexico, and in contaminated seafood. Anyone with a weakened immune system, cancer, diabetes, liver disease and other chronic conditions should avoid consuming raw or undercooked crustaceans, especially oysters, advise health officials. They should also avoid getting into the water if they have an open sore.

How to prevent Vibrio vulnificus infections:

• Do not eat raw oysters or d & # 39; 39, other raw shellfish.
• Cooking shells (oysters, clams, mussels)
• For shellfish in the shell, either boil until the shells open and continue to boil for another 5 minutes, or steam until the shells open and then continue cooking for another 9 minutes. Do not eat molluscs that do not open during cooking. Boil oysters for at least 3 minutes or fry in oil for at least 10 minutes at 375 degrees F.
• Avoid cross-contamination of cooked seafood and other foods with raw seafood and seafood. raw seafood juice.
• Avoid exposure of open wounds or scraped skin to warm salty or brackish water or raw seafood harvested from these waters.
• Wear protective clothing such as gloves when handling raw shellfish.