Topic Overview
What is Vibrio vulnificus food
poisoning?
Vibrio vulnificus food poisoning
is caused by Vibrio vulnificus, a bacterium that lives
in warm seawater. The condition is rare.
What causes Vibrio vulnificus food
poisoning?
Vibrio vulnificus food
poisoning occurs when you eat seafood infected with the bacteria or you have an
open wound that is exposed to them. The bacteria are frequently found in
oysters and other shellfish in warm coastal waters during the summer months.
People who have
weak immune systems, especially those with long-term
(chronic) liver disease, are at greater risk for this condition than
other people.
What are the symptoms?
In healthy people,
Vibrio vulnificus food poisoning can cause vomiting,
diarrhea, and abdominal (belly) pain. In people who have weak immune systems, the
bacteria can infect the bloodstream, causing a severe and life-threatening
illness. Symptoms include fever and chills, decreased blood pressure (septic
shock), and blistering skin wounds. The infection is especially dangerous to
people who have long-term (chronic) liver disease.
If an open wound is
exposed to the bacteria (such as from warm seawater), sores may develop. People with weak immune systems are at risk
for the bacteria moving into the bloodstream.
How is Vibrio vulnificus food poisoning
diagnosed?
Vibrio vulnificus food
poisoning is diagnosed based on a medical history and a physical exam. Your
doctor will ask you questions about your symptoms, foods you have
recently eaten, and your work and home environments. If you have eaten raw
seafood, especially oysters, your doctor may do a stool, wound, or
blood culture.
How is it treated?
You treat Vibrio vulnificus food poisoning by managing complications until it passes.
Dehydration caused by diarrhea and vomiting is the
most common complication. In people who have weak immune systems, or in people who have
severe symptoms, antibiotics may be used.
To prevent dehydration, take
frequent sips of a rehydration drink (such as Pedialyte). Try to drink a cup of water or rehydration drink for each large,
loose stool you have. Soda
and fruit juices have too much sugar and not enough of the important
electrolytes that are lost during diarrhea, and they
should not be used to rehydrate.
Try to stay with your normal diet
as much as possible. Eating your usual diet will help you to get enough
nutrition. Doctors believe that eating a normal diet will also help you feel
better faster. But try to avoid foods that are high in fat and sugar. Also
avoid spicy foods, alcohol, and coffee for 2 days after all symptoms have
disappeared.
How can I prevent Vibrio vulnificus food
poisoning?
The best way to prevent this type of food poisoning is
to not eat raw oysters or other raw shellfish and to cook all shellfish
(oysters, clams, mussels) thoroughly.
Boil shucked oysters for at
least 3 minutes or fry them in oil for at least 10 minutes at
375°F (191°C). For shellfish in
the shell, either:
- Boil until the shells open and continue
boiling for 5 more minutes, or
- Steam until the shells open and then
continue cooking for 9 more minutes.
Do not eat those shellfish that do not open during
cooking.
You should also:
- Avoid cross-contamination of cooked seafood
and other foods with raw seafood and juices from raw seafood. Don't prepare
them in the same place. And don't use the same cutting board when preparing
them.
- Eat shellfish immediately after cooking, and refrigerate
leftovers.
- Avoid exposing open wounds or broken skin to warm
saltwater or brackish water or to raw shellfish harvested from such
waters.
- Wear protective clothing, such as gloves, when you handle
raw shellfish.