State Orders Warnings Posted on Gulf Coast Oysters Hazards

State health officials, alarmed about potentially fatal diseases linked to eating raw Gulf Coast oysters, ordered restaurants and groceries to post warning signs beginning March 1.

Dr. Kenneth Kizer, director of California’s Department of Health Services, said the regulation issued Tuesday was the first in the nation.

He said raw oysters from the Gulf Coast may contain the bacteria Vibrio vulnificus, which can cause severe infections and death. The bacterial infection can usually be treated with antibiotics.

People with liver disease, cancer and other chronic diseases such as diabetes or AIDS that weaken the immune system are particularly at risk, but Kizer stressed that otherwise healthy people also can become sick.

The March 1 deadline gives restaurants and stores time to print and post the required signs, but Kizer said he wants consumers to be aware of the danger now.

“This risk is certainly one we view as serious,” Kizer said.

The Gulf Coast includes Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama and Florida.

Kizer said the illnesses have not been linked to oysters from cold-water growing beds such as those off California, the East Coast or Pacific Northwest. Cooking Gulf Coast oysters kills the bacteria.

The Department of Health Services confirmed eight cases, five of them fatal, in California from 1985 through August, 1990, because of Vibrio vulnificus. Louisiana had 35 cases and 24 deaths between 1977 and 1989. Florida had 38 cases and 21 deaths between 1981 and 1987.

The symptoms of the infection are fever, chills, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Death has occurred within two days of exposure to the bacteria.

The warning that must be posted beginning March 1 on a sign or menu reads:

“Warning. Eating raw oysters may cause severe illness and even death in persons who have liver disease (for example alcoholic cirrhosis), cancer or other chronic illnesses that weaken the immune system. If you eat raw oysters and become ill, you should seek immediate medical attention. If you are unsure if you are at risk, you should consult your physician.”