Health officials urge people to be aware of dangers of vibrio vulnificus

Now that warmer weather is here, the Florida Department of Health wants to make sure that people are aware of the dangers of vibrio vunificus.

Warmer temperatures increase the chances of illness from Vibrio vulnificus, a bacterium which is often found in raw oysters but also occurs naturally in Gulf of Mexico waters.

Most people are not affected by vibrio, but there are certain at-risk groups which should not eat raw oysters at any time of the year.

Those groups include heavy drinkers and people with certain health conditions such as liver disease, diabetes, cancer, or stomach disorders or any illness or treatment that weakens the immune system.

For at-risk individuals vibrio vulnificus can be fatal.

People in those high-risk groups are also in danger if they wade into Gulf or estuarine waters with open cuts or wounds.

There were 32 reported cases of vibrio vulnificus and 7 related deaths in 2014 – though none of those cases occurred in Franklin County.

If you would like to learn more about vibrio vulnificus, you can check out the Department of Health webpage which provides educational materials including background information on the disease, downloadable broadcast-quality video and a "frequently asked questions" section.

We’ve posted the link to the site on this story at oysterradio.com and on the Oyster Radio facebook page.

http://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/vibrio-infections/vibrio-vulnificus/index.html?utm_source=ac

http://live.oysterradio.com/