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August 30, 1999
Another Reason Not to Eat Your Oysters Raw
Cryptosporidium, a parasite that causes diarrhea and can be fatal for persons
with weak immune systems, has been found in oysters harvested from the
Chesapeake Bay area.
ATLANTA—Cryptosporidium, a parasite that causes diarrhea, can be added to
the list of reasons not to eat raw oysters, according to an article in an
upcoming issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases, CDC's peer-reviewed journal,
which tracks new and reemerging infectious diseases worldwide.
Oysters feed by filtering water through their gills. When water is
contaminated by run-off from pastures or sewage, oysters can keep the parasite
in their gills and spread illness. Researchers tested oysters from seven sites
used for commercial harvesting in the Chesapeake Bay area. Oysters from all the
sites contained Cryptosporidium species both from cows and humans. This finding
shows that the water at these sites contained human and animal feces during a
period when the oysters were filtering. The risk of contamination is probably
higher after a heavy rain, but some risk is present year-round.
Infection with Cryptosporidium can cause prolonged diarrhea; it is especially
dangerous for persons with weak immune systems. The good news is that heating to
temperatures above 162o F kills the parasite, so the authors urge
that oysters be cooked before they're eaten.
For more information, contact Dr. Ronald Fayer at 301-504-5306 (fax). Access
the full article at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol5no5/fayer.htm.
All material in Emerging Infectious Diseases is in the public domain and may be used
without special permission; proper citation, however, is appreciated.
For more information on this or related topics, see —
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