2 dead, 1 sick in CT from bacteria linked to raw seafood, saltwater

Two people in Connecticut have died this summer, and a third became ill, after being infected with a flesh-eating bacteria found in raw shellfish and saltwater — but none of it was associated with consuming seafood from the state, health officials said Tuesday.

Two of the three contracted Vibrio vulnificus bacteria through wounds, according to the Connecticut Department of Public Health, while the third ate raw oysters elsewhere. All three patients were between the ages of 60 and 80.

“One patient reported consuming raw oysters from an out-of-state establishment,” the health department said in July, when it reported the infections and deaths. “Two patients reported exposure to salt or brackish water in Long Island Sound. Both patients had pre-existing open cuts or wounds or sustained new wounds during these activities which likely led to the infections.”

The out-of-state oysters were not harvested from Long Island Sound, the health department confirmed.

These were the first cases of Vibrio vulnificus in the state in three years. The bacteria has never been found in Connecticut waters and was not linked to its shellfish, the state Department of Aquaculture said earlier this month.

Vibrio vulnificus bacteria can enter an open wound via contact with “raw or undercooked seafood, its juices or its drippings, or with saltwater or brackish water,” according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It kills one in five of those it infects, and can lead to amputations and other drastic measures in others.

Connecticut goes to great lengths to prevent Vibrio vulnificus from entering its waters, and regularly tests for the bacteria, the health department said. Most infections are linked to shellfish from much warmer climes.

Nonetheless the state felt compelled to issue a warning, calling the cases concerning.

“People should consider the potential risk of consuming raw oysters and exposure to salt or brackish water and take appropriate precautions,” said DPH commissioner Dr. Manisha Juthani in the department’s statement. “Particularly during the hottest months of the summer, bacteria are more likely to overgrow and contaminate raw shellfish. Given our current heat wave, this may be a time to exercise particular caution in what you consume.”

With News Wire Services