A man died after eating bad oysters in Sarasota. Here’s how to protect yourself

In the heat of summer is when oyster-linked illness strikes worst.

The Florida Department of Health this week announced that a 71-year-old man died after eating a bad oyster in Sarasota. Officials say he ate the oyster July 8 and died from a gastro-intestinal related illness just two days later.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, getting sick from eating oysters isn’t uncommon. The majority of the infections are contracted from seafood between May and October, due to oysters growing in warmer waters.

Approximately 80,000 people get sick from eating them each year in the United States. About 100 of them die, statistics show. Here’s what you can do to prevent illness.

What is vibriosis?

Vibriosis is the name of the disease that people contract from bad oysters, clams and mussels. Shellfish filter feed by drawing water from their surrounding habitat, according to the CDC. That filter feeding sometimes includes bacteria such as Vibrio strains that occur naturally in the same waters as shellfish.

It’s important to note that there are no warning signs when it comes to a “bad oyster.” CDC officials say they don’t taste, smell or look any different than other oysters. The best way to ensure harmful bacteria has been destroyed is to cook them thoroughly.

There are a few different kinds of Vibrio infections. The most common version of the disease leads only to vomiting and diarrhea, the CDC says. Some rarer cases are characterized by extreme sickness, blistering skin lesions and bloodstream infections. Limb amputations are also possible.

What to do when buying shellfish

• The Food and Drug Administration recommends using the “tap test.”
• Tap the shell and watch to see if it closes and springs open again.
• Stay away from the ones that don’t bounce back.

What to do when cooking oysters

• Pay attention to open shells and discard oysters that are open before you cook.
• The CDC suggests boiling oysters until the shell opens, and then continue boiling for another three to five minutes.
• You can also steam them until the shell opens and continue steaming for another four to nine minutes.
• Only eat shellfish that open fully after they are cooked, according to the CDC.

Other vibriosis hazards

• Brackish (a mixture of salt water and fresh water) or salt water in a wound can lead to a vibriosis infection.
• Raw seafood juices into a wound may lead to vibriosis, the CDC warns.
• Vibriosis can be contracted from cutting yourself on items such as rocks or piers that have come in contact with salt water.

This story was originally published July 19, 2018 at 5:05 PM.