How to avoid encountering "Vibrio vulnificus" when eating seafood
2023-09-22
Recently, the news that a man in Fuzhou was amputated due to infection with Vibrio vulnificus while eating raw and pickled seafood hit the headlines. Journalists have found that cases of amputation or even death due to infection with Vibrio vulnificus have not been uncommon in recent years. However, marine and aquatic scientists remind that Vibrio vulnificus is a conditional pathogen with a low infection rate, and poses a relatively high risk to chronic disease patients and populations with low immune function only under special conditions. Daily contact and consumption of seafood, as long as the method is appropriate, there is no need to worry too much. What is Vibrio vulnificus? What is Vibrio vulnificus? Why can eating raw and pickled seafood cause such a serious infection? Liu Huihui, a researcher at the Marine Biological Quality Research Center of the Shandong Institute of Marine Resources and Environment and a member of the Shandong Fish Industry Technology System, said in an interview with China Consumer Daily that Vibrio vulnificus is a bacterium that lives in the ocean, either floating in seawater or attached to shellfish, shrimp, oysters, crabs, whales, and other marine organisms. The vast majority of people who have normal contact or scientific consumption of seafood will not cause Vibrio vulnificus infection. However, if they suffer from chronic diseases or low immune function, they may be infected through the following three ways: first, stabs or scratches, such as being stabbed by carrier marine organisms or being scratched by carrier reefs or fishing gear; Secondly, when there is a wound on the body surface, the wound is exposed to marine organisms, seawater, reefs, fishing gear, and other items that carry bacteria; The third is oral infection, which means eating raw seafood with bacteria. Especially for people with wounds in the digestive tract or diseases such as oral ulcers and digestive ulcers, consuming raw contaminated seafood poses a higher risk of infection. Although the infection rate of Vibrio vulnificus is not high, once infected, the onset of the disease is urgent, the progress is rapid, the treatment is difficult, and the mortality rate is extremely high. Therefore, sufficient attention should be paid to it. According to the different pathways of invasion into the human body, it can manifest as local skin symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, and even systemic symptoms. Generally speaking, most patients with mild Vibrio vulnificus infection have a good prognosis, but about 50% of primary sepsis patients can progress to septic shock and multiple organ failure within 48 hours, and remain untreated within 72 hours, with a mortality rate of nearly 100%. How to avoid Vibrio vulnificus infection? Vibrio vulnificus has a thermophilic nature, and infections often occur in warm seasons. Therefore, it is particularly necessary to strengthen the prevention of Vibrio vulnificus infection in summer and autumn seasons. Liu Huihui analyzed that on the one hand, the high water temperature in summer and autumn is suitable for the growth and reproduction of Vibrio vulnificus; On the other hand, people have more opportunities to go to the seaside for sightseeing, exposure, and consumption of seafood. How to avoid being infected with this bacteria in daily life? Liu Huihui reminds consumers to pay attention to the following points: first, try not to touch thorny seafood with bare hands, such as sea urchins, crabs, shrimp, etc., to avoid being stabbed. When selecting, cleaning, and handling fresh seafood, try to wear waterproof gloves or use tools such as knives and pliers to prevent skin injuries. When skin damage occurs, avoid contact with seawater or seafood. It should be noted that frozen seafood may still contain Vibrio vulnificus, so precautions should also be taken when handling frozen seafood. Secondly, do not eat raw or pickled seafood, especially for high-risk and susceptible populations. Generally speaking, boiling seafood for 3 to 5 minutes can effectively kill Vibrio vulnificus in seafood. And raw and pickled seafood
Edit：GuoGuo Responsible editor：FangZhiYou
Source：gmw.cn
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