Sacramento Area Vibrio Lawyer

Sacramento Area Vibrio Lawyer

Sacramento Area Vibrio Lawyer

I’m Ed Smith, a Fair Oaks Personal Injury Lawyer. There are a number of different vibrio bacteria that cause an illness known as vibriosis.  Three of the most common species of vibrio that cause illness in the United States are Vibrio vulnificus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Vibrio alginolyticus.  Vibrio is thought to cause about 80,000 illnesses annually in the United States, 52,000 of which are linked to the consumption of contaminated food.  Vibrio is also estimated to cause 100 deaths every year in the United States.  Because vibrio naturally lives in salt or brackish water, you can ingest vibrio bacteria if you consume contaminated undercooked or raw seafood, especially oysters.  Oysters eat by filtering water, so when an oyster filters water containing the vibrio bacteria, the bacteria can concentrate in the oyster’s tissues.  Vibrio food poisoning most often occurs in Gulf Coast states like Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas, and about eighty percent of cases happen between May and October when water temperatures are warmer.  While most cases of vibrio poisoning are caused by contaminated food, it is also possible to expose yourself to the bacteria if an open wound comes in contact with seawater.

While vibriosis usually resolves after three days, for those with weakened immune systems and certain medical conditions, serious infections or severe complications may occur.

Watch the Youtube video below to further understand Vibrio Vulnificus:

Symptoms Of Vibriosis

If you ingest vibrio bacteria, you may experience watery diarrhea which is oftentimes accompanied by nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, chills, and fever.  These symptoms usually begin within twenty-four hours after ingesting vibrio, and as mentioned above, can last about three days.  In mild cases, treatment for vibriosis is not usually necessary, but it is always important to rest and replace the fluids you’ve lost through vomiting and/or diarrhea.  While anyone can get sick from vibriosis, for people with certain medical conditions, symptoms can be more severe, and there is a greater chance of developing an infection or other serious complications, like bloodstream infections.  This at-risk group of people includes:

• Those with cancer, HIV, diabetes, liver disease, or thalassemia;
• Those who are immunosuppressed because of treatment for another illness or disease;
• Those who take medicine to decrease stomach acid levels; and,
• Those who have recently undergone stomach surgery.

When vibrio bacteria infect the bloodstream, a serious and life-threatening illness occurs which is characterized by chills, fever, decreased blood pressure, and blistering skin lesions.  Treatment for an infection may be extensive, and many people survive only after having their limbs amputated.  Because half of the people who get a vibrio blood infection die, sometimes only within a day or two of becoming ill, if you have one of these serious medical conditions, you may want to think twice about consuming raw or undercooked seafood, and oysters in particular.

Vibriosis Food Poisoning Litigation

If you have become extremely ill and you believe that your illness may be due to vibrio bacteria, it is important that you seek medical care as soon as possible.  This is especially imperative if you have any serious medical conditions or illnesses that may make you more vulnerable to severe infections and other complications.  Those who develop bloodstream infections from vibrio bacteria oftentimes end up in the intensive care unit or have their limbs amputated, and in many cases, the infection can be fatal.  In the instances of severe illness or death from vibrio bacteria, those who caused your injuries should be held responsible.  If you believe that you ate food that was contaminated with vibrio, and that food was from a restaurant, grocery store, or other food company, it may be possible to obtain the compensation you need and deserve if you can successfully sue the source of your illness.

Sacramento Area Vibrio Lawyer

I’m Ed Smith, a Fair Oaks Personal Injury Lawyer. If you or a family member has been seriously injured or has died due to food poisoning, please call me today at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly advice.

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