Eating fresh crab meat has sickened 8 people in Maryland. Vibrio lawyer Fred Pritzker and his team are investigating. This outbreak has also sickened 4 people in Louisiana (2), Pennsylvania (1), and the District of Columbia (1). We are a national food safety law firm, and our lawyers help people throughout the U.S. get compensation and justice.
Contact attorney Fred Pritzker and his team with the form below if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a Vibrio infection.
Fresh Crab from Venezuela Linked to 12 Vibrio Illnesses in MD, LA, PA and DC
A multistate outbreak of Vibrio parahaemolyticus infections linked to eating fresh crab meat imported from Venezuela. To date, 12 people infected with Vibrio parahaemolyticus who ate fresh crab meat have been reported from Maryland, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia. A list of the states and the number of cases in each can be found on the case count map below.
Genetic testing showed that available Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates from people in this outbreak are closely related genetically. This close genetic relationship means that people in this outbreak are likely to share a common source of infection, in this case, crab imported from Venezuela.
Illnesses started on dates ranging from April 1, 2018 to July 3, 2018. Ill people range from 26 to 69 years, with a median age of 54. Among ill people, 67% are female. Four people (33%) have been hospitalized. The graph below shows the timeline for reporting of Vibrio parahaemolyticus illnesses in this outbreak.
Some illnesses might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported. This takes an average of 2 to 4 weeks. For a more detailed explanation, see the Timeline for Reporting Cases of Salmonella Infection, which is similar for reporting of Vibrio cases.
Investigation of the Vibrio parahaemolyticus Outbreak
Epidemiologic evidence, including interviews with those sickened, indicates that crab meat labeled as fresh or precooked imported from Venezuela is a likely source of this outbreak, according to the CDC. Investigation into the source is ongoing.
Public health officials in Maryland were the first to detect this outbreak and identified Vibrio infections among people who ate crab meat. According to the FDA:
“FDA and regulatory officials in Maryland traced back the source of the crab meat from the restaurants and grocery stores where ill people bought crab meat. Preliminary evidence gathered in this investigation showed that the crab meat was imported from Venezuela.”
Do You Have a Lawsuit for Vibrio from Crab?
You may a Vibrio lawsuit if you have a diagnosis from a doctor and you ate fresh crab meat a few hours or days before getting sick. You may be able to sue a restaurant, grocery store, supplier and/or another company that is legally responsible. It is our job to find out who you can sue.
Contact our law firm with the form above or at 1-888-377-8900 (toll-free).