Washington raw oyster warning

by Nicole Weston (Subscribe to Nicole Weston's posts)
Posted Jul 21st 2006 6:01PM
Filed under: West Coast, Shellfish, Health & Medical

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Health officials in Washington State are warning people against eating raw oysters that were harvested in Puget Sound. The warning came after 45 people reported violent illness - including two hospitalizations - in two weeks. Usually, there are only 20 such cases in an entire year. The oysters were contaminated with a bacteria strain called Vibrio parahaemolyticus and five oyster harvesting areas have already been closed.

The oysters from the Sound are often available in other parts of the Pacific Northwest, along the Pacific coast and in several other Western States (where a handful of cases have been reported already), so if at all possible, find out where the oysters are your market came from before deciding to down them uncooked. Health officials say that cooking the oysters to an internal temperature of 145F should prevent any health problems from the bacteria, in the event that your oyster is contaminated.

Tags: bacteria, health warning, oyster, oyster warning, oysters, pacific, puget sound, raw oysters, shellfish, sick from oysters, warning, washington

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

7-21-2006 @ 6:52PM

bbum said...

I ate a bunch of raw west coast oysters last Saturday. I exploded Sunday AM -- sounds like exactly the same set of symptoms. My digestive system is still rather angry with me.

Now, at least, I have a name for my pain.

7-21-2006 @ 9:37PM

Camille Bauman said...

How anyone can eat that phlegm is beyond me...no wonder they got sick. I get sick just looking at them.

7-21-2006 @ 10:28PM

Adriane said...

Yeah a name for your pain-- if you can pronounce it! haha...

no but really, that sounds horrifying! I feel for you, bbum, and all those others sticken down by those evil filters of the sea!!

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