But before you hit up those oyster happy hours, there are still other factors to keep in mind. For one, consider how often you’re slurping those raw shellfish. If you’re shucking oysters once a week in the summer, then you’d have higher chances of eating one contaminated with vibrio than, say, someone enjoying them once a year during a holiday party.
It’s also important to recognize that the chances of getting seriously sick from vibrio increase if you have certain risk factors that make you more susceptible, as we mentioned above. As Hicks notes, “Some people don’t realize they have a compromised immune system.” For example, liver disease, diabetes, or taking meds to reduce stomach acid all count as contributors to a body’s weakened defense.
If raw oysters are your jam, though, and you have no intention of staying clear, try eating them during the off-season. As we mentioned above, vibrio tends to thrive during the peak warmer months of May through October. So eating oysters during the fall and winter when coasts start to cool down may help reduce your risk, says Dr. Love.
Ultimately, eating any raw food presents risks. If the chances of coming down with vibriosis sucked the joy out of your oyster slurping, it may not be worth it to continue eating them raw. As for me? You can’t take the half shells out of this New Englander, so I won’t commit to never eating raw oysters again...but I definitely will be on the hunt to find delicious cooked preparations. Fried oysters with a side of creamy tartar sauce might just be calling my name.
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