Three New Yorkers died due to carnivorous bacteria: they contracted them through oysters

In recent weeks, three people in the New York area have died and a fourth has been hospitalized after contracting a flesh-eating bacterium that can come from eating raw oysters or swimming in salt water. According to New York Times, the bacterium is found in raw seafood such as oysters and in warm brackish waters. Climate change could raise the risk of contracting the deadly bacterium in more northerly areas.

Infections caused by this bacterium, called Vibrio vulnificus, are rare but extremely dangerous. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates), every fifth infected person dies. According to the CDC, many survivors lose limbs as a result of amputations.

“We are reminding healthcare professionals to be on the lookout for cases of vibriosis, which is not always the first diagnosis that comes to mind,” said Dr. York.

People with open wounds should avoid swimming in warm seawater, he said. And people with a weakened immune system should be careful when eating or handling raw seafood.

One of the New York deaths was in Suffolk County, Long Island, and the other two were in Connecticut. The fourth infection also occurred in Connecticut: a person fell ill, but was later discharged from the hospital.

Why is vibriosis dangerous?

Vibriosis is caused by several types of bacteria, including Vibrio vulnificus, which is found in salt water, especially during the warmer months, New York City health officials said. Symptoms include diarrhea, stomach cramps, vomiting, fever, and chills. Infection can also lead to ear infections, sepsis, and life-threatening infections in wounds.

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The flesh around an open wound can die, which is why Vibrio vulnificus is called a "carnivorous" bacterium. “She gets really nasty,” said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. According to him, the infection can destroy soft tissues, and then get into the bloodstream and cause sepsis.

According to him, healthy people should not worry too much. However, those who have liver problems should be careful with seafood: "Eat shrimp, not oysters."

Recent infections

In two cases, people had open cuts and were exposed to water at Long Island Sound, according to Christopher Boyle, a spokesman for the Connecticut Department of Health. He said that the infection occurred in two different settlements, but did not elaborate on the details.

A third Connecticut resident fell ill after eating raw oysters, though not in a state restaurant or sourced from the Sound, said Rebecca E. Murphy, a spokeswoman for the state's Department of Agriculture.

“In the state of Connecticut, no one has ever contracted vibrio from shellfish or oysters,” Dr. Manisha Jootani, the state public health commissioner, said at a press conference earlier in the week.

New York authorities are still investigating whether the death in Suffolk County was caused by bacteria found in local waters or elsewhere.

Distribution Features

Bacteria are most common during the summer months. As ocean temperatures rise, more people may be at risk of infection, according to a study published this spring in the journal Scientific Reports.

These bacteria were once rare north of Georgia, but in recent years they have been found further north. According to researchers, from 1988 to 2018, the number of cases of infection with “flesh-eating” bacteria through wounds on the East Coast increased from 10 to 80 cases per year.

“This shows the relationship between our health and the health of the ocean,” said Elizabeth Archer, lead author of the paper.

There were other national surges associated with coastal tides, when the water carrying the infection was pushed further inland.

Last fall, after Hurricane Yan hit Florida, the state health department registered abnormal increase the number of cases of the disease. Since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, at least five people have died from diseases caused by Vibrio bacteria.

Several cases have been reported in Connecticut in recent years. Those infected had open wounds and were exposed to salt water.

• In 2019, one person died from Vibrio vulnificus infection in that state.
• Five cases were reported in 2020, all recovered.

Partly in response to the 2020 outbreak, the state is now testing oysters for Vibrio vulnificus, according to Emily Marquis, an environmental analyst with the Bureau of Aquaculture and Laboratory Research. According to Bureau Director David Carey, inspectors have never found Vibrio in the state's commercial oysters.

Connecticut oysters

The state of Connecticut, which has a thriving oyster industry, introduced rules for storing and freezing oysters after an outbreak of a similar strain of the bacterium Vibrio parahaemolyticus made 2013 people sick in 23.

Connecticut protocols are designed to keep oysters below or equal to 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10° C). Oysters, depending on the place of collection, must be refrigerated or placed in ice suspension. Since the introduction of these protocols in 2014, there have been no outbreaks of vibrios, according to the Department of Agriculture.

“Keeping the temperature cool discourages bacterial growth,” said Tessa L. Getchis, who trains seafood farmers with the Connecticut Sea Grant and UConn Extension programs. - This is what you want. That is why we refrigerate anything.”

Oyster Festival 2023

The news of the loss of life worried some residents of Connecticut. However, the organizers of the annual oyster festival in Milford, which will take place on Saturday, August 19, they say they are confident in safety.

“We have no reason to be concerned about this,” said Trisha Kozloski, who will ensure the sale of oysters at the festival.

The organizers plan to provide 30 shellfish collected on the coast of the city. All oysters will immediately be placed on ice or in a refrigerator, she said, and festival workers will regularly check the temperature of the truck and individual bivalve clams.

“We make oysters to order, so our oysters don't sit idle,” she said finally, adding, “Nothing has changed. This year the risk is no greater than before. And the risk is very, very low.”