SARASOTA, FL (WWSB) - A 71-year-old man has died from a gastro-intestinal illness after consuming flesh-eating bacteria on an oyster at a Florida restaurant.
Florida Health officials said the man ate the bad oyster on July 8 and died two days later. The name of the restaurant was not released.
This is the first case and fatality involving flesh-eating bacteria in Sarasota County this year. Nearby Manatee County had one case so far in 2018, but no fatalities.
Last year, Manatee County had two cases of flesh-eating bacteria and Sarasota County had none. In 2016, Manatee County had two cases, while Sarasota County had three cases and one fatality.
Flesh-eating bacteria, or Vibrio vulnificus, is a naturally occurring bacteria found in warm, brackish seawater. Infections are rare.
Among healthy people, consuming flesh-eating bacteria can cause vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. For someone with a compromised immune system, the bacteria can infect the bloodstream, causing septicemia, which can cause severe or deadly infections in other parts of the body.
Septicemia can be characterized by fever and chills, occasionally accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and pain in the extremities.
Florida Health recommends not going in the water if you have fresh cuts or scrapes. Those who have compromised immune systems should wear proper foot protection to prevent cuts and injury caused by rocks and shells on the beach.
Health officials also urge people with certain health conditions to avoid eating raw oysters and other shellfish. The bacteria does not change the appearance, odor or taste of an oyster.
The bacteria are highly susceptible to pH, cooking, and freezing and can be killed by common disinfectants such as bleach or alcohol.
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