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Health & Nutrition: Food Safety and Quality

Who is most at risk for foodborne illness by eating raw oysters?

Certain health conditions put you at risk for serious illness or death from Vibrio vulnificus infection. Some of these conditions have no signs or symptoms so you may not know you are at risk. Check with your doctor if you are unsure of your risk.

These conditions include:

• liver disease, either from excessive alcohol intake, viral hepatitis or other causes

• hemochromatosis, an iron disorder

• diabetes

• stomach problems, including previous stomach surgery and low stomach acid (for example, from antacid use)

• cancer

• immune disorders, including HIV infection

• long-term steroid use (as for asthma and arthritis).

If you are an older adult, you also may be at increased risk because older people more often have these risk conditions than younger people.

If you are or think you may be in any of these risk categories, you should not eat raw oysters. However, because fully cooking oysters completely kills the bacteria, you can continue to enjoy oysters in many cooked preparations.

If you drink alcoholic beverages regularly, you may be at risk for liver disease, and, as a result, at risk for serious illness or death from raw oysters. Even drinking two to three drinks each day can cause liver disease, which may have no symptoms. Liver disease will put you at increased risk for Vibrio vulnificus infection from raw oysters. The risk of death is almost 200 times greater in those with liver disease than those without liver disease.

Source: Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition