MANCHESTER, Mo. — The St. Louis County Department of Public Health issued a public health alert on Friday regarding oysters served at a Manchester business.
A man died after eating raw oysters sold at The Fruit Stand & Seafood in Manchester, the health department said. It advises anyone who has recently purchased oysters from the business to dispose of them.
A 54-year-old man died after being infected by the bacteria Vibrio vulnificus, which can be carried by oysters and other shellfish, according to DPH. The man reportedly ate the raw oysters from the business sometime in the past week. He was hospitalized at a local hospital and died Thursday, the alert said.
The alert says there is no evidence that the business did anything to contaminate the oysters and they were likely already contaminated when they received them.
On Friday, The Fruit Stand & Seafood expressed their condolences regarding a "customer of ours who passed away."
"Doctors and the health department have been working with us to determine exactly where the oysters were harvested to stop any other potential threats around the country," the Facebook post read. "The Oysters in question we believe are the Gulf Coast oysters we had in our store last Saturday, Sunday, and Monday (June 3-4-5). If you have the Oysters, please throw them away immediately and clean any surface they came in contact with"
The business stated no other seafood was contaminated.
Investigators are determining the source of the oysters and have disposed of the ones remaining at the business. The investigation will be sent to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Employees at The Fruit Stand & Seafood are cooperating with the investigation, DPH said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you can reduce your risk of vibriosis by following these tips:
- Don’t eat raw or undercooked oysters or other shellfish. Cook them before eating.
- Always wash your hands with soap and water after handling raw shellfish.
- Avoid contaminating cooked shellfish with raw shellfish and its juices.
- Stay out of salt water or brackish water if you have a wound (including from a recent surgery, piercing, or tattoo), or cover your wound with a waterproof bandage if there’s a possibility it could come into contact with salt water or brackish water, raw seafood, or raw seafood juices. Brackish water is a mixture of fresh and salt water. It is often found where rivers meet the sea.
- Wash wounds and cuts thoroughly with soap and water if they have been exposed to seawater or raw seafood or its juices.
- If you develop a skin infection, tell your medical provider if your skin has come into contact with salt water or brackish water, raw seafood, or raw seafood juices.