Consumers warned to avoid eating oysters from area 1642

B

BrentB

New member
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/ ... 254754.htm
FDA NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: May 10, 2011
Media Inquiries: Doug Karas: 301-796-2805; douglas.karas@fda.hhs.gov
Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA

Consumers warned to avoid eating oysters from area 1642 in Apalachicola Bay, Florida
Warning follows bacterial illness outbreak

Fast Facts
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is advising consumers, restaurant operators, commercial shippers and processors of shellfish not to eat, serve, purchase, sell or ship oysters from Area 1642 in Apalachicola Bay, Fla. because the oysters may be contaminated with toxigenic Vibrio cholerae serogroup O75.

• Nine persons have been reported with illness. For eight, the illness was confirmed as caused by toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O75; laboratory confirmation is pending in the other person. No one was hospitalized or died.

• All ill persons reported consumption of raw or lightly steamed oysters.

• Traceback indicates that oysters harvested from Area 1642 in Apalachicola Bay, Fla., between March 21 and April 6, 2011, are associated with illness.


• Those who have recently purchased oysters should check with the place of purchase and ask if they were harvested from the affected growing area.

What is the problem?
Raw oysters harvested from Area 1642 in Apalachicola Bay, Fla. between March 21 and April 6, 2011, have been linked to eight confirmed and one possible case of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O75 infection. The ill persons ate raw or lightly cooked oysters harvested from that area. Ill persons reside in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Indiana; all report consumption of oysters while in Florida. There are several designated harvest areas within Apalachicola Bay, Fla, and each of these has a unique numerical identifier. Area 1642 is a zone that stretches from north to south in Apalachicola Bay just on the east side of the bridge that goes from Eastpoint, Fla., to St. George Island, Fla. The zone is approximately two miles wide from east to west.

What are the symptoms of Vibrio illness?
Illness is typically characterized by nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. The symptoms begin from a few hours up to five days after consumption of raw or undercooked seafood, particularly shellfish, or after ingestion of surface waters.

Who is at risk?
Persons at risk are those who traveled to Florida and consumed oysters that were harvested from Area 1642 of Apalachicola Bay or who purchased oysters in a state to which these oysters or oyster product were distributed and ate them.

What do consumers need to do?
Those who have recently purchased oysters should check with the place of purchase and ask if they were harvested from the affected growing area. If the oysters were definitely or possibly harvested from Area 1642 in Apalachicola Bay, Fla., and have not yet been consumed, they should not be eaten. If the oysters were already consumed and no one became ill, no action is needed. If you develop a diarrheal illness within a week after consuming raw or undercooked shellfish, see your healthcare provider and inform the provider about this exposure.

Those with weakened immune systems, including people affected by AIDS, chronic alcohol abuse, liver, stomach, or blood disorders, cancer, diabetes, or kidney disease should avoid eating raw oysters, regardless of where they are harvested.

What product forms are included in the recall?
This advisory, which comes from an outbreak of illness caused by toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O75, applies to live in-shell and shucked fresh or frozen oysters from the area.

Where is it distributed?
These oysters or oyster product were initially distributed in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and North Carolina. However, subsequent distribution to other states may have occurred.

What is being done about the problem?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is advising consumers, restaurant operators, commercial shippers and processors of shellfish not to eat, serve, purchase, sell or ship oysters harvested from Area 1642 in Apalachicola Bay, Florida because the oysters may be contaminated with toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O75.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Aquaculture closed Area 1642 on April 29 and has asked commercial oyster harvesters and dealers who obtained oysters from this area to recall them.

The FDA is sampling oysters from Area 1642 in Apalachicola Bay as part of a reopening strategy.


Who should be contacted?
The FDA encourages consumers with questions about seafood safety to call 1-888-SAFEFOOD or to write to consumer@fda.gov.

For more information:

FDA Bad Bug Book: Vibrio cholerae serogroup Non-O1

CDC Vibrio foodborne illness

General information on Vibrio infections
Raw Oyster myths
 
Thanks for the post. We're in apalachicola right now and were just given a free coupon for a dozen oysters at UP the Creek restaurant. No way of knowing exactly where the oysters came from so we'll pass on it.
 
You should be fine:
"On May 11, 2011, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services re-opened Area 1642 in Apalachicola Bay, Fla. for the harvest of oysters, clams, and mussels. Recent testing of oysters from the area did not detect Vibrio Cholorae contamination. Oysters, clams and mussels harvested from the area on or after May 11 are not affected by the earlier recall and may be distributed for consumption."

Apalachicola Bay is one of the, if not the most tested oyster fishery in the US. Cholera is very rare in the US. It is possible that it was brought in by a traveler--or a carrier.

The cause of this infestation of the oysters is most likely direct intervention by man--that is some person who had an enteric infection of Cholera, dumped raw sewage into the bay. This could be from a boat, septic system, or even sewage treatment facility. There are two documented spillages of raw sewage during this peroid. This also should remind us to be very cautious where we dump our sewage. You can be a carrier of Cholera and not know it--although Cholera is rare in the US. This is a very mild form of Cholera (fortunately).

There are many different disease condtions which filter feeders can cause: (oysters). These include Hepatitis, Salmonella, Shigella, Virial (like Norwalk) GI virius, as well as Cholera and a few other enteric pathogens.
 
Vibrio cholerae serotype O75 produces a cholera toxin like Vibrio cholerae serotypes O1 and O139 which can also cause epidemics and pandemics but fortunately O75 is not considered an epidemic strain. Epidemic strains are toxigenic, cause large number of cases with high mortality rates and lasts for years

The O is an abbreviation for somatic antigens found on the bacteria cell surface or wall and there are over 200 described V cholerae serotypes. Cholera toxin (CT) testing is performed by PCR looking for CT genes and is specialized test performed at CDC or research labs.

In 2010, the O1 cholera outbreak in Haiti is an unfortunate event with over 2,500 deaths and the cause still being investigated as being imported. The US has seen several reported imported cases in several US states. No one wants these toxigenic strains to establish a foothold in the US and sadly there is no evidence that cholera will soon disappear from Haiti. Current thinking is it is firmly established

I spoke with CDC 2 weeks and they said O75 is an emerging pathogen b/c they have improved their detection methods. Finding new cases leads to investigations and increases our knowledge which leads to improved prevention measures.

Many labs do not routinely test for Vibrio sp ( V cholera and parahemolyticus, another pathogen) on stool cultures and cases will be missed unless a specific order is made.

Vibrio sp can also be spread by birds and contaiminate areas a long distance from the point of origin.


I posted the message as an alert and not an alarm.
It is difficult to tell IMHO how safe our food is and our best defense is being well informed
 
BrentB":1mrlwoiy said:
Vibrio cholerae serotype O75 produces a cholera toxin like Vibrio cholerae serotypes O1 and O139 which can also cause epidemics and pandemics but fortunately O75 is not considered an epidemic strain. Epidemic strains are toxigenic, cause large number of cases with high mortality rates and lasts for years

The O is an abbreviation for somatic antigens found on the bacteria cell surface or wall and there are over 200 described V cholerae serotypes. Cholera toxin (CT) testing is performed by PCR looking for CT genes and is specialized test performed at CDC or research labs.

In 2010, the O1 cholera outbreak in Haiti is an unfortunate event with over 2,500 deaths and the cause still being investigated as being imported. The US has seen several reported imported cases in several US states. No one wants these toxigenic strains to establish a foothold in the US and sadly there is no evidence that cholera will soon disappear from Haiti. Current thinking is it is firmly established

I spoke with CDC 2 weeks and they said O75 is an emerging pathogen b/c they have improved their detection methods. Finding new cases leads to investigations and increases our knowledge which leads to improved prevention measures.

Many labs do not routinely test for Vibrio sp ( V cholera and parahemolyticus, another pathogen) on stool cultures and cases will be missed unless a specific order is made.

Vibrio sp can also be spread by birds and contaiminate areas a long distance from the point of origin.


I posted the message as an alert and not an alarm.
It is difficult to tell IMHO how safe our food is and our best defense is being well informed
Click to expand...

Clearly we have another biologist in the crowd. :lol: What do you do for a living Brent?
 
Brent,
I think that it is interesting that the "Alert" only lasted for a relitatively short peroid of time. Cultures are now negative. The Vibro species are somewhat sensative to salt water. So in this case the symptomatic disease is self limited. I suspect that there were a number of other people who were ill, maybe with less symptomoloty. Their symptoms were not reported to CDC, and they were not tested. There are three documented potential issues--two sewer spills and one of dredging (which may not be related) in the area near these beds. But these are all short time events--and not recurrent. Although birds can carry the vibro--it is rare for other animals other than man to be a carrier (Dogs have been implicated).

The Haiti situation evolves around introduction of the bacteria into the environment, along with poor sanitation. Thus the disease perpetuates.
I have seen many more cases of Salmonella, Shigella and Hepititis A from Oysters than Vibro Cholera. Even in the time frame of this minor epidemic, there were multiple other cases of raw oyster related infections than from the O75 toxin.

A couple of articles tried to tie this to the BP oil spill. Some folks will just not let go!
 
I am a medical microbiologist at the Indiana State Dept of Health labs and work part time in a commercial reference lab.

This was just an alert stating a significant finding to inform the public and not a recall

To me it was good testing and investigation by FDA, State of Florida, and others by the rapid response. State Health Departments were alerted earlier
Also our tax dollars are at work!

Bob
I agree with your assessment and Vc O75 is the new bug of the month
Never a dull moment

In 1994, Indiana SHD was part of an investigation of V cholerae serotype O1
(The letter O not zero) linked to imported food.

see
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00037127.htm
 
Come on guys....I spent the last couple of nights scratching no seeums from between the sheets in the La Quinta in which I am trapped. And now you are messing with one of last available pleasures of this old man, those delicious Apalachicola Oysters. Some things just oughta be off limits. :lol:

Growing up in South Louisiana, oysters have always been a part of my life. I found early on that for me Louisiana oysters and whiskey do not mix....beer :beer of course, but not whiskey. I will bet that those few that got sick drank too much whiskey with their oysters. It is kind of like fish and milk. My mother would not let us drink milk with our fish for some reason.

Marc, I am surprised you have not chimed in. At least let Anita give us the Chamber's official word on this subject.
 
Had a fresh bag of Apalachicola oysters on May 1st :teeth No one has been reported sick out of our group---must not have been from area 1642. (with beer no whiskey)

I have to say the oysters were nice and salty..yum :thup :thup
 
Larry H":1xd367tr said:
Carl,

A similar rule applies in the Pacific Northwest, "Don't eat clams, mussels, or oysters in months without an 'r'."
Click to expand...
I agree Larry, I had some mussels last summer that were absolutely horrible and smelled like uhm, feces. Never again!
 
One exception to Larry's Rule would be Razor clams. The tides and the quality of the clams are best in May, June, July, and August. We go by just the opposite for crab down here. The months without r's are usually molting and hollow body months.

We get short red tide closures for shellfish all the time but l have always figured it was more for harvest management than because of the mythical red tides.
 
One of the exceptions to the "r" month rule is the Apalachicola Oyster industry--that is because the oysters are tested every day. I don't know how many other beds are tested that often--but it is rare. Another is the right mix of salt and fresh water, plus no sewage dumped into these waters (normally). Beside where is the "r" in May? (OK--there is an "r" in april--but it does not end in "r"...

Although I have been always been a bit leary about raw oysters, after a bad case of Shigella when I was in Med school, in Houston--I don't have any reservations about Apalachicola Oysters...Worth the trip down there!
 
I believe a number of years ago the AMA journal recommended not eating raw oysters . Even though it's a small risk eating them raw I like them steamed or baked just fine anyway.
 
Certainly an individual's choice not to eat raw oysters is a personal decision--and can also be made on some factual information. There are many places where I will not eat raw oysters--and do eat them steamed or broiled. (but this is no guarantee to be disease free either).

The American Medical Association has an official position on all foods for people at risk which include;
Young children, pregnant women, older adults, and persons with weakened immune systems are at a higher risk for food-borne illness. Immune systems may be weakened by medical treatments, such as steroids or chemotherapy, or by conditions, such as AIDS, cancer, or diabetes. You are also at increased risk if you suffer from liver disease or alcoholism or if you have decreased stomach acidity (due to gastric surgery or the regular use of antacids).

If you are at risk
If you face a higher risk of food-borne illness, you are advised not to eat:

Raw fish or shellfish, including oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops
Raw or unpasteurized milk or cheeses
Soft cheeses, such as feta, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined, and Mexican-style cheese (Hard cheeses, processed cheeses, cream cheese, cottage cheese, and yogurt need not be avoided)
Raw or undercooked eggs or foods containing raw or lightly cooked eggs, including certain salad dressings, cookie and cake batters, sauces, and beverages such as unpasteurized egg nog (Foods made from commercially pasteurized eggs are safe to eat)
Raw or undercooked meat or poultry
Raw sprouts (Alfalfa, clover, and radish)
Unpasteurized fruit or vegetable juices (These juices will carry a warning label)
It is also important to reheat some foods that are bought pre-cooked, because they can become contaminated with pathogens after they have been processed and packaged.

This is wise advice. However remember that less than 20% of American Physicians belong to American Medical Association--and 30% of those who do belong are medical students, internes, residents and fellows in training.

NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center has the follwing advice:

How does the consumer know that shellfish are safe to eat?
Clams and oysters in the shell should be alive and the shells should be closed tightly or should close when the mollusks are tapped. The U.S. Public Health Service, in cooperation with the States, has a sanitation control program that covers the labeling and shipment of clams, mussels, and oysters. These shellfish may be harvested only from non-polluted waters and processed for shipment in sanitary plants inspected by State shellfish inspectors. Authorities periodically test water for sewage pollution and ban catches from polluted areas.

How unsafe are shellfish from polluted waters?
They are dangerous to man, causing mild to severe illness, sometimes death. Both sewage and industrial wastes can affect shellfish.

Will cooking make sewage-polluted shellfish safe to eat?
Not entirely. Cooking will kill bacteria that cause some diseases, but it is not known whether certain virus diseases, such as infectious hepatitis, can be prevented by cooking.


Is it safe to eat oysters during the months without R's?
Yes. Fresh oysters properly refrigerated are wholesome and nutritious throughout the year. They spoil rapidly at high temperatures, however. The belief that oysters were unsafe to eat in May through August arose in earlier days when refrigeration was less prevalent than it is today.
 
http://safeoysters.org/index.htm
Univ of Georgia

Safely Buying Raw Oysters and Other Molluscan Shellfish
Where should I buy oysters, clams, or mussels?

You should only purchase oysters, clams, or mussels from a reputable retail or wholesale store that has a valid business license. Seafood dealers with current licenses are inspected by state, local, and sometimes federal regulatory agencies to ensure shellfish is obtained from approved sources, maintained at proper storage temperatures, and handled in a sanitary manner and work area. If you have questions about your local seafood dealer or are uncertain about their license status, contact the government agency responsible for retail or wholesale food inspection in your state, county, or city.

Even if a seafood dealer has a current business license, a strong, unpleasant fishy odor which pervades the store often indicates inadequate sanitation or refrigeration. Be particularly thorough in your evaluation of shellfish before purchasing it from such an establishment.
What about shellfish from roadside stands or transient vendors?

If a vendor does not have a valid state or local business license to sell seafood, there is no way for government inspectors to know if shellfish is legally obtained from approved waters or safely and sanitarily handled and stored.
How do I tell if shellfish has been legally harvested?

If you are concerned about the source of raw oysters, clams, or mussels, ask to see the certified shipper’s tag or information that accompanies legally harvested live products, or find the harvester information on containers of raw shucked (shells removed) shellfish. This information ensures the shellfish was harvested from approved* waters and that the harvester, processor(s), and/or shipper(s) are certified and monitored by state and federal regulators. Molluscan shellfish without that information could be illegally harvested from polluted waters and could cause illness. The safety of such shellfish is impossible to determine and purchase or consumption should be avoided.
How do I tell if shellfish is alive?

Shells of live oysters, clams or mussels, will either be tightly closed or slightly open. If shells are open, tap them lightly with your finger. If the shell closes, the animal is alive and safe to buy. If the shell is gaping open or does not close after tapping it, the animal is dead and may harbor high numbers of bacteria which can make you ill.
Is it safe to eat previously shucked shellfish raw?

No. Shellfish that has been shucked (removed from shells) and placed in plastic or glass containers is intended to be cooked and should not be eaten raw.
Is it safe to harvest and eat my own oysters, clams, and mussels?

Most coastal states, counties, or cities provide and monitor areas for recreational public harvesting of oysters, clams, or mussels. Water and/or shellfish in these harvest areas are routinely tested * to ensure they do not contain bacteria or viruses from sewage, toxins from natural algal blooms, or other contaminants that can cause human illness. If harmful contaminants are present, the area is closed to harvesting and signs are posted to warn of the danger.

Some states may require a permit and/or licenses to recreationally harvest shellfish and/or set limits on the amount you may harvest. Check with the department or agency responsible for monitoring public harvest areas in your state, county, or city or use the links below to locate information by state.

Alabama
California:
Quarantines and Health Advisories for Sport-Harvested Shellfish
Sport Fishing Regulations, Licenses & Tags
Shellfish Information Hotline: 1-800-553-4133
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Mississippi
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Oregon
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Texas
Virginia
Washington

http://safeoysters.org/consumers/buying.html
 
Herb , just like the oystermen that are suffering from alarmist info that is long after the fact , I have been trying to scratch out a living and just saw this today . It was a small event , its over and done, the bay has been declared clean in all areas . Bob is correct about the daily water testing , except its done twice a day.The oysters here are great all year and have been for centuries. If there is even the slightest possible reason to close the bay to oystering they will do it in a heartbeat .They know where the oysters come from and they recalled them immediately .DONE and OVER.All of Apalachicola bay reopened . Nothing to see here, move along . From what I understand it less safe to eat beef or chicken,drive in a a car ,fly on an airplane ,cross the street,etc. than to eat our oysters.The overwhelming percentage of folks that get sick are those that have compromised immune systems and go against the advice of their physicians and common sense . That is hardly the fault of the oysters . I live here for a reason . This is one of the cleanest estuaries in the US .Our oysters are some of the best in the world . Here is probably the best press release of the event.
From Michael Allen of Oyster Radio. WOYS

Vibrio Cholera traced back to Apalachicola Bay oysters

Some Apalachicola Bay oysters are being recalled after being linked to an outbreak of Vibrio cholera.

The recalled oysters include shell stock, frozen half shell and fresh and frozen stock – most of which has already been consumed.

The recalled oysters were harvested from area 1642 since March the 21st.

That area is east of the St. George Island Bridge and includes the Cat Point bar.

The area was closed last Friday and will remain closed while state officials continue to test the area for any signs of the bacteria.

Vibrio Cholera is very rare in Florida – there probably hasn’t been a case in Florida in at least 20 years.

Florida Division of Aquaculture chief Leslie Palmer told county commissioners on Tuesday that the cause of the outbreak is not known and will likely never be known for sure, but there were two incidents that could have been factors.

The most likely cause was the Army Corps of Engineers dredging in the bay which stirred up the substrate where Vibrio cholera naturally exists.

Miss Palmer said that in the future her division will work much more closely with the Army Corps of Engineers if there is any dredging in the bay so they can proactively close areas that might be impacted.

The other was a sewer leak in Eastpoint near the old Miller and Sons seafood which was discovered and fixed on April the 8th.

They don’t know how long the sewer leak was there.

Miss Palmer said that was a less likely suspect and the Eastpoint Water and Sewer District said the leak was small and likely did not even go into the bay.

At least 11 people are known to have gotten sick from the oysters including a 12 year old Florida boy and a 27 year old woman.

Another 4 cases are suspected but those patients did not go through the epidemiological process.

The last reported illness was on April the 13th.

There were no cases reported in Franklin County.

Water samples taken from the site have shown nothing out of the ordinary.

They are not taking meat or substrate samples because if they found the bacteria in those samples FDA would not allow the area to be reopened ever.

The Division of Aquaculture now has to file a report with the Food and Drug Administration explaining how they think the Vibrio cholera was introduces in the oysters and whether all necessary steps have been taken to alleviate the problem.

They hope to have that report completed this week – they are currently working with oyster dealers to get shipping records and other information.

They do not know how long area 1642 will remain closed to oyster harvesting but hope to have it open as soon as possible – before that can happen, however, the report has to be completed and accepted by the FDA.

Commissioner Pinki Jackel said that the area needs to be reopened as quickly as possible because every day it is closed it is costing local people thousands of dollars.

County commissioners said they will write a letter to the Eastpoint Water and Sewer District asking that in the future they are alerted to any leaks that could impact the oyster harvesting areas.

They will also write a letter to the Northwest Florida Water Management District alerting them to the situation

Think Ill go have some oysters now .
Marc
 
As we travel, and want to harvest shell fish, we ask the locals where they get theirs and what areas are safe--and are not safe. Doing that we have never had a bad experience.
 
Back
Top