Washington health officials are warning of an outbreak of foodborne illness believed to be connected to the recent Northwest heat wave.
Health officials said 52 cases of vibriosis have already been reported in July, surpassing previous records for the month.
Michael Crowe of King 5 reports Vibrio bacteria are found naturally in the environment but thrive in warm conditions. Officials believe the record heat and low tides at the end of June led to high levels.
That same heat wave, which experts said was made more likely because of human-caused climate change, is believed to have killed as many as a billion sea creatures. People can get vibriosis by eating raw or undercooked shellfish. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) said symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, headache, fever and chills.
Most people will recover in a few days, though those with compromised immune systems or liver disease are at increased risk of serious illness.
Of the 52 cases, 26 have been from commercial oysters, the DOH said. Four were recreational oysters, and the rest are either unknown or under investigation.
Because of the outbreak, officials are asking people to follow the “Three Cs:”
Cook shellfish to 145 degrees for at least 15 seconds Check the DOH’s shellfish safety map before gathering Cool shellfish immediately for the trip home, whether gathered or bought.
Khrisna Russell of Tribune 242 reports food safety officials are cautioning against the consumption of fresh conch after several suspected cases of conch poisoning.
Several reports of conch poisoning made the rounds on social media over the past few days before the Bahamas Agricultural Health and Food Safety Authority issued a statement yesterday.
The authority warned consumers to avoid fresh conch until officials are able to determine the source of the contamination.
Conch poisoning is typically caused by the bacterium, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, with contamination attributed to poor hygienic practices during its handling and preparation.
Health Minister Renward Wells said there had been about 10 reported cases of conch poisoning.
Vendors should also avoid having the conch sit in the sun for long periods of time and after the conch meat is removed, it should be gutted and rinsed thoroughly under potable running water for enough time to carefully remove all the slime and debris present. Also, vendors should wash their hands before and after preparation with liquid hand soap and warm running water for 20-30 seconds.
Gloves should also be worn when preparing conch salad or other fresh preparations where further cooking is not done.
Hair nets and disposable aprons should also be worn to prevent cross contamination. Gloves should be changed regularly if they become torn or in between tasks.
Other precautions include conch salad vendors utilising separate cutting boards for slicing vegetables and the conch. Cutting boards and utensils should be cleaned and sanitised in between preparations to avoid cross contamination or the carryover of contamination between preparations.
Consumers are urged to be vigilant to ensure that wherever they are purchasing raw conch dishes, vendors are following hygienic practices. Those who purchase raw conch to prepare at home should follow these preparation steps as well.
New Zealand Food Safety is, according to Outbreak News Today, warning consumers to thoroughly cook mussels before eating following 2 people reportedly becoming sick from Vibrio parahaemolyticus in the Nelson-Tasman region.
Paul Dansted, director of food regulation at New Zealand Food Safety said, “Vibrio parahaemolyticus is bacteria in mussels that may cause food poisoning if they’re undercooked or eaten raw. People with low immunity, pregnant, or elderly should avoid eating raw or undercooked shellfish as the illness can be more severe.
“While the cause has not been established both people who became ill have reported eating mussels and as a precaution we are reminding consumers to cook mussels thoroughly before consumption.”
The FDA said it had seized a shipment of 270 kg of raw oysters contaminated with hepatitis A.
Two other shipments of raw oysters totaling 255 kg, meanwhile, were found to be tainted by norovirus, the agency said, adding that all the products had been confiscated and destroyed.
By Nov. 2020, Florida state health officials reported 33 cases of Vibrio vulnificus in 20 counties, including six deaths had been reported
In Dec. 2020, it was reported that sushi bars at two Harris Teeter stores in Concord, North Carolina, sickened 159 people.
Health officials said that many of the sick people developed symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, fever, muscle aches, and abdominal cramps, but they did not confirm the type of infection.
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a Gram‐negative bacterium that is naturally present in the marine environment. Oysters, which are water filter feeders, may accumulate this pathogen in their soft tissues, thus increasing the risk of V. parahaemolyticus infection among people who consume oysters. In this review, factors affecting V. parahaemolyticus accumulation in oysters, the route of the pathogen from primary production to consumption, and the potential effects of climate change were discussed. In addition, intervention strategies for reducing accumulation of V. parahaemolyticus in oysters were presented.
A literature review revealed the following information relevant to the present study: (a) managing the safety of oysters (for human consumption) from primary production to consumption remains a challenge, (b) there are multiple factors that influence the concentration of V. parahaemolyticus in oysters from primary production to consumption, (c) climate change could possibly affect the safety of oysters, both directly and indirectly, placing public health at risk, (d) many intervention strategies have been developed to control and/or reduce the concentration of V. parahaemolyticus in oysters to acceptable levels, but most of them are mainly focused on the downstream steps of the oyster supply chain, and (c) although available regulation and/or guidelines governing the safety of oyster consumption are mostly available in developed countries, limited food safety information is available in developing countries. The information provided in this review may serve as an early warning for managing the future effects of climate change on the safety of oyster consumption.
Managing the risk of vibrio parahaemolyticus infections associated with oyster consumption: A review
Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety
There has been an increase in reported outbreaks and cases of foodborne disease attributed to pathogenic Vibrio species. As a result, there have been several instances where the presence of pathogenic Vibrio spp. in seafood has led to a disruption in international trade.
The number of Vibrio species being recognized as potential human pathogens is increasing. The food safety concerns associated with these microorganisms have led to the need for microbiological risk assessment to support risk management decision making for their control.
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is considered to be part of the autochthonous microflora in the estuarine and coastal environments in tropical to temperate zones. Food safety concerns have been particularly evident with V. parahaemolyticus. There have been a series of pandemic outbreaks of V. parahaemolyticus foodborne illnesses due to the consumption of seafood. In addition, outbreaks of V. parahaemolyticus have occurred in regions of the world where it was previously unreported. The vast majority of strains isolated from patients with clinical illness produce a thermostable direct haemolysin (TDH) encoded by the tdh gene. Clinical strains may also produce a TDH-related haemolysin (TRH) encoded by the trh gene. It has therefore been considered that those strains that possess the tdh and/or trh genes and produce TDH and/or TRH should be considered those most likely to be pathogenic. V. vulnificus can occasionally cause mild gastroenteritis in healthy individuals following consumption of raw bivalve molluscs. It can cause primary septicaemia in individuals with chronic pre-existing conditions, especially liver disease or alcoholism, diabetes, haemochromatosis and HIV/AIDS. This can be a serious, often fatal, disease with one of the highest fatality rates of any known foodborne bacterial pathogen.
The 41st Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) requested FAO/WHO to convene an expert meeting to address a number of issues relating to V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus including:
conduct validation of the predictive risk models developed by the United States of America based on FAO/WHO risk assessments, with a view to constructing more applicable models for wider use among member countries, including adjustments for strain virulence variations and ecological factors; xi
review the available information on testing methodology and recommend microbiological methods for Vibrio spp. used to monitor the levels of pathogenic Vibrio spp. in seafood and/or water;
conduct validation of growth rates and doubling times for V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus in Crassostrea virginica (Eastern or American oyster) using strains isolated from different parts of the world and different bivalve molluscan species.
The requested expert meeting was held on 13-17 September 2010, and this report is the outcome of this meeting. Rather than undertaking a validation exercise, the meeting considered it more appropriate to undertake an evaluation of the existing risk calculators with a view to determining the context to which they are applicable and potential modifications that would need to be made to extend their application beyond that context. A simplified calculator tool could then be developed to answer other specific questions routinely. This would be dependent on the availability of the appropriate data and effort must be directed towards this. The development of microbiological monitoring methods, particularly molecular methods for V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus is evolving rapidly. This means the identification of any single method for the purposes of monitoring these pathogens is challenging and also of limited value as the method is likely to be surpassed within a few years. Therefore, rather than making any single recommendation, the meeting considered it more appropriate to indicate a few of the monitoring options available while the final decision on the method selected will depend to a great extent on the specific purpose of the monitoring activity, the cost, the speed with which results are required and the technical capacity of the laboratory.
The meeting considered that monitoring seawater for V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus in bivalve growth and harvest areas has limited value in terms of predicting the presence of these pathogens in bivalves. A linear relationship between levels of the vibrios in seawater and bivalves was not found and whatever relationship does exist can vary between region, the Vibrio spp. etc. Also, the levels of Vibrio species of concern in seawater tend to be very low. This presents a further challenge as the method used would need to have an appropriate level of sensitivity for their detection. Nevertheless, this does not preclude the testing of seawater for these vibrios; for example, in certain situations testing can provide an understanding of the aquatic microflora in growing areas. Monitoring of seafood for these pathogenic vibrios was considered the most appropriate way to get insight into the xii levels of the pathogens in these commodities at the time of harvest. Monitoring on an ongoing basis could be expensive, so consideration could be given to undertaking a study over the course of a year and using this as a means to establish a relationship between total and pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus in the seafood and abiotic factors such as water temperature and salinity. Once such a relationship is established for the harvest area of interest measuring these abiotic factors may be a more cost-effective way of monitoring.
The meeting undertook an evaluation exercise rather than attempting to validate the existing growth models. The experts considered the JEMRA growth model for V. vulnificus and the FDA growth model for V. parahaemolyticus were appropriate for estimating growth in the American oyster (Crassostrea virginica). The JEMRA growth model for V. vulnificus was appropriate for estimating growth in at least one other oyster species, Crassostrea ariakensis. The FDA model for V. parahaemolyticus was also appropriate for estimating growth in at least one other oyster species, Crassostrea gigas, but was not appropriate for predicting growth in the Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata). There was some evidence that the V. parahaemolyticus models currently used over predict growth at higher temperatures (e.g. > 25 °C) in live oysters. This phenomenon requires further investigation. Growth model studies were primarily undertaken using natural populations of V. parahaemolyticus as these were considered to be the most representative. Data were limited and inconsistent with respect to the impact of the strain on growth rate although recent studies in live oysters suggest differences exist between populations possessing tdh/trh (pathogenic) versus total or non-pathogenic populations of V. parahaemolyticus.
There was no data to evaluate the performance of the growth models in any other oyster species or other filter feeding shellfish or other seafood and as such its use in these products could not be supported. If the models are used there should be a clear understanding of the associated uncertainty. This indicated a data gap which needs to be addressed before the risk assessments could be expanded in a meaningful manner.
Risk assessment tools for vibrio parahaemolyticus and vibrio vulnificus associated with seafood, 2020
There has been an increase in reported outbreaks and cases of foodborne disease attributed to pathogenic Vibrio species. As a result, there have been several instances where the presence of pathogenic Vibrio spp. in seafood has led to a disruption in international trade. The number of Vibrio species being recognized as potential human pathogens is increasing. The food safety concerns associated with these microorganisms have led to the need for microbiological risk assessment to support risk management decision making for their control.
V. parahaemolyticus is considered to be part of the autochthonous microflora in the estuarine and coastal environments in tropical to temperate zones. Food safety concerns have been particularly evident with V. parahaemolyticus. There have been a series of pandemic outbreaks of V. parahaemolyticus foodborne illnesses due to the consumption of seafood. In addition, outbreaks of V. parahaemolyticus have occurred in regions of the world where it was previously unreported. The vast majority of strains isolated from patients with clinical illness produce a thermostable direct haemolysin (TDH) encoded by the tdh gene. Clinical strains may also produce a TDH-related haemolysin (TRH) encoded by the trh gene. It has therefore been considered that those strains that possess the tdh and/or trh genes and produce TDH and/or TRH should be considered those most likely to be pathogenic. V. vulnificus can occasionally cause mild gastroenteritis in healthy individuals following consumption of raw bivalve molluscs. It can cause primary septicaemia in individuals with chronic pre-existing conditions, especially liver disease or alcoholism, diabetes, haemochromatosis and HIV/AIDS. This can be a serious, often fatal, disease with one of the highest fatality rates of any known foodborne bacterial pathogen.
The 41st Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) requested FAO/WHO to convene an expert meeting to address a number of issues relating to V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus including:
conduct validation of the predictive risk models developed by the United States of America based on FAO/WHO risk assessments, with a view to constructing more applicable models for wider use among member countries, including adjustments for strain virulence variations and ecological factors;
review the available information on testing methodology and recommend microbiological methods for Vibrio spp. used to monitor the levels of pathogenic Vibrio spp. in seafood and/or water; and,
conduct validation of growth rates and doubling times for V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus in Crassostrea virginica (Eastern or American oyster) using strains isolated from different parts of the world and different bivalve molluscan species.
The requested expert meeting was held on 13-17 September 2010, and this report is the outcome of this meeting. Rather than undertaking a validation exercise, the meeting considered it more appropriate to undertake an evaluation of the existing risk calculators with a view to determining the context to which they are applicable and potential modifications that would need to be made to extend their application beyond that context. A simplified calculator tool could then be developed to answer other specific questions routinely. This would be dependent on the availability of the appropriate data and effort must be directed towards this.
The development of microbiological monitoring methods, particularly molecular methods for V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus is evolving rapidly. This means the identification of any single method for the purposes of monitoring these pathogens is challenging and also of limited value as the method is likely to be surpassed within a few years. Therefore, rather than making any single recommendation, the meeting considered it more appropriate to indicate a few of the monitoring options available while the final decision on the method selected will depend to a great extent on the specific purpose of the monitoring activity, the cost, the speed with which results are required and the technical capacity of the laboratory.
The meeting considered that monitoring seawater for V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus in bivalve growth and harvest areas has limited value in terms of predicting the presence of these pathogens in bivalves. A linear relationship between levels of the vibrios in seawater and bivalves was not found and whatever relationship does exist can vary between region, the Vibrio spp. etc. Also, the levels of Vibrio species of concern in seawater tend to be very low. This presents a further challenge as the method used would need to have an appropriate level of sensitivity for their detection. Nevertheless, this does not preclude the testing of seawater for these vibrios; for example, in certain situations testing can provide an understanding of the aquatic microflora in growing areas. Monitoring of seafood for these pathogenic vibrios was considered the most appropriate way to get insight into the xii levels of the pathogens in these commodities at the time of harvest. Monitoring on an ongoing basis could be expensive, so consideration could be given to undertaking a study over the course of a year and using this as a means to establish a relationship between total and pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus in the seafood and abiotic factors such as water temperature and salinity. Once such a relationship is established for the harvest area of interest measuring these abiotic factors may be a more cost-effective way of monitoring. The meeting undertook an evaluation exercise rather than attempting to validate the existing growth models. The experts considered the JEMRA growth model for V. vulnificus and the FDA growth model for V. parahaemolyticus were appropriate for estimating growth in the American oyster (Crassostrea virginica). The JEMRA growth model for V. vulnificus was appropriate for estimating growth in at least one other oyster species, Crassostrea ariakensis. The FDA model for V. parahaemolyticus was also appropriate for estimating growth in at least one other oyster species, Crassostrea gigas, but was not appropriate for predicting growth in the Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata). There was some evidence that the V. parahaemolyticus models currently used over predict growth at higher temperatures (e.g. > 25 °C) in live oysters. This phenomenon requires further investigation. Growth model studies were primarily undertaken using natural populations of V. parahaemolyticus as these were considered to be the most representative. Data were limited and inconsistent with respect to the impact of the strain on growth rate although recent studies in live oysters suggest differences exist between populations possessing tdh/trh (pathogenic) versus total or non-pathogenic populations of V. parahaemolyticus. There was no data to evaluate the performance of the growth models in any other oyster species or other filter feeding shellfish or other seafood and as such its use in these products could not be supported. If the models are used there should be a clear understanding of the associated uncertainty. This indicated a data gap which needs to be addressed before the risk assessments could be expanded in a meaningful manner.
Risk assessment tools for vibrio parahaemolyticus and vibrio vulnificus associated with seafood, 2020
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a leading cause of seafood-borne gastroenteritis. Given its natural presence in brackish waters, there is a need to develop operational forecast models that can sufficiently predict the bacterium’s spatial and temporal variation.
This work attempted to develop V. parahaemolyticus prediction models using frequently measured time-indexed and -lagged water quality measures. Models were built using a large data set (n = 1,043) of surface water samples from 2007 to 2010 previously analyzed for V. parahaemolyticus in the Chesapeake Bay. Water quality variables were classified as time indexed, 1-month lag, and 2-month lag. Tobit regression models were used to account for V. parahaemolyticus measures below the limit of quantification and to simultaneously estimate the presence and abundance of the bacterium. Models were evaluated using cross-validation and metrics that quantify prediction bias and uncertainty.
Presence classification models containing only one type of water quality parameter (e.g., temperature) performed poorly, while models with additional water quality parameters (i.e., salinity, clarity, and dissolved oxygen) performed well. Lagged variable models performed similarly to time-indexed models, and lagged variables occasionally contained a predictive power that was independent of or superior to that of time-indexed variables. Abundance estimation models were less effective, primarily due to a restricted number of samples with abundances above the limit of quantification. These findings indicate that an operational in situ prediction model is attainable but will require a variety of water quality measurements and that lagged measurements will be particularly useful for forecasting.
Future work will expand variable selection for prediction models and extend the spatial-temporal extent of predictions by using geostatistical interpolation techniques.
IMPORTANCE Vibrio parahaemolyticus is one of the leading causes of seafood-borne illness in the United States and across the globe. Exposure often occurs from the consumption of raw shellfish. Despite public health concerns, there have been only sporadic efforts to develop environmental prediction and forecast models for the bacterium preharvest.
This analysis used commonly sampled water quality measurements of temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and clarity to develop models for V. parahaemolyticus in surface water. Predictors also included measurements taken months before water was tested for the bacterium. Results revealed that the use of multiple water quality measurements is necessary for satisfactory prediction performance, challenging current efforts to manage the risk of infection based upon water temperature alone.
The results also highlight the potential advantage of including historical water quality measurements. This analysis shows promise and lays the groundwork for future operational prediction and forecast models.
Vibrio parahaemolyticus in the Chesapeake Bay: Operational in situ predition and forecast models can benefit from inclusion of lagged water quality measurements
Public and Environmental Health Microbiology
Benjamin J. K. Davis, John M. Jacobs, Benjamin Zaitchik, Angelo DePaola, Frank C. Curriero
Mia De Graaf of the Daily Mail writes a 78-year-old Texas man died after an agonizing two-week battling against flesh-eating bacteria he contracted on a fishing trip last month.
Jerry Sebek, of San Marcos, did not get in the water, did not have any open wounds, and did not have any health issues that would weaken his immune system.
And yet, hours after returning from Turtle Bay on June 13, he became delirious, vomiting, and struggling to breathe.
His daughter Kim took him to a clinic, where doctors said it looked like heat stroke.
But the next morning, he was taken to hospital, where he tested positive for vibrio, an aggressive type of bacteria that eats away at muscle and tissue.
His right arm, where the infection started, was ‘skinned like a deer,’ Kim told SanAntonio.com.
Despite amputating his arm and leg, and putting him in a medically-induced coma, doctors could not defeat the infection.
‘I’m still a little shocked and in disbelief,’ Kim told the site.
‘Dad was a wonderful family man who loved to hunt and fish and do things out in the water.’
She added: ‘We’ve been coming here [to Turtle Bay] for years and this is just an unfortunate thing that happened.’
Most of the people who got sick ate commercial grown mussels harvested in Coromandel.
“It is possible that the strain of vibrio parahaemolyticus is unusually aggressive, which may mean that even low numbers could cause illness,” NZ food safety director of regulation Paul Dansted said.
“Additional testing of mussels and the waters that they are being grown in is also underway to help us understand why this has happened.
“The mussels at the centre of the outbreak were all bought in their raw state, in the shell. They are not the mussels that can be bought in plastic pottles. Those mussels are cooked and marinated and are not affected.”
NZ Food Safety says people need to be careful when cooking mussels and heat them above 65C. It’s also advised to wash hands after handling shellfish, and avoid cross-contamination between raw and cooked shellfish.
Health officials said 52 cases of vibriosis have already been reported in July, surpassing previous records for the month.
