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The Tuesday morning death of Studer Community Institute Director of Business Engagement Rodney Jackson shocked the Pensacola community when it was determined that he had died of a bacterial infection from eating a raw oyster.
But experts say Vibrio bacteria are easier to catch than you might expect if you don’t take precautions.
University of West Florida professor Dr. Robert “Wes” Farr, a physician with specialties in areas such as infectious diseases, said Vibrio infections are becoming more common in the warmer months. There are different varieties of Vibrio, but Farr said the most common tends to be Vibrio parahaemolyticus, which is a common source of foodborne illness from eating raw fish and oysters.
“Severe infection is rare, but the risk is still there,” he said.
Jackson purchased the oysters Aug. 3 at Maria’s Fresh Seafood Market.
It wasn’t until the weekend that his seemingly mild symptoms began to worsen and raise alarm for his wife, Patricia.
On the advice of his wife, he considered checking into West Florida Hospital but decided against it after seeing wait times, according to Gillette.
It was when he began having trouble breathing on Sunday that he was transported to Ascension Sacred Heart ICU, where Vibrio bacteria were later detected in Jackson’s blood and determined to be the cause of his death, according to Gillette.
The state requires seafood vendors like Maria’s to go through strict procedures to ensure oysters are kept at a safe temperature, as well as posting signs stating that customers consume raw oysters “at their own risk.”
