Avoid raw oysters from this part of Mexico after 12 got sick, California officials say
California health officials are warning diners to steer clear of raw oysters from a specific part of Mexico after a dozen people who ate the shellfish came down with stomach illnesses.
The oysters that have been linked to the string of gastrointestinal problems were harvested from Estero El Cardon in Mexico’s Baja California Sur, the California Department of Public Health said in a news releasethis month.
Health officials said 12 people reported stomach illnesses after eating the raw shellfish from retailers or restaurants in Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara and San Diego counties. Cases were reported in February, March and April.
Though the reports of the outbreak have been limited to Southern California, health officials warned that “the raw oysters have been distributed throughout the state.”
Tests were done in eight of the 12 reported cases, which revealed a handful of pathogens including “Vibrio parahaemolyticus (3), Vibrio albensis (1), Vibrio species unidentified (1), Shigella flexneri serotype 1 (2), and norovirus (1),” health officials said. Vibrio parahaemolyticus “typically causes non-bloody diarrhea,” while shigella can cause bloody diarrhea, cramping and stomach pain, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
California Officials said that “one of the Vibrio parahaemolyticus cases was co-infected with non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli,” which has similar gastrointestinal symptoms to the other pathogens identified, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Health officials in California said they are working with local officials to stay on top of the reported cases and with Mexican officials to tackle the source of the outbreak.
“Restaurants and retailers can protect customers by checking their inventory and shellfish tags that are required to identify the source to avoid any raw oysters harvested from Estero El Cardon in Baja California Sur, Mexico,” California health officials said. “This will ensure that potentially contaminated raw oysters are not available for purchase, and any leftover contaminated products are discarded.”
Diners can also take matters into their own hands.
“Consumers should ask the retailer or restaurant about the source if the product is not labeled or identified,” health officials said.
What if you come down with stomach problems after eating raw oysters?
Health officials said worried oyster eaters should go to a doctor and notify their local health department of any illness linked to the shellfish. Diners are also advised to avoid eating undercooked or raw shellfish to limit their chances of getting sick in the first place.
“If you do eat shellfish, cook it until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 145°F,” health officials said. “Quick steaming isn’t sufficient to prevent gastrointestinal illness from these pathogens.”
This story was originally published May 7, 2019 at 4:31 PM with the headline "Avoid raw oysters from this part of Mexico after 12 got sick, California officials say."