A Vibrio outbreak linked to crab meat imported from Venezuela and sold at restaurants and grocery stores has ended after sickening 26 people, hospitalizing nine of them. Some of those sickened may still choose to file lawsuits, says Vibrio lawyer Fred Pritzker, of the national food safety law firm Pritzker Hageman.
When the outbreak was announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on July 12, 2018, 12 illnesses in three states – Louisiana, Maryland and Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia had been reported. When the agency declared an end to the outbreak on September 27, 2018, the outbreak had expanded to include three more states. Most of the illnesses occurred in Maryland where 15 illnesses were reported. The District of Columbia reported three cases, Delaware and Louisiana and Delaware each reported two; and Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia reported one case each.
The case-patients, who range in age from 26 to 78 years old, reported onset-of-illness dates from April 1, 2018, to July 19, 2018. Nine people were hospitalized. No deaths were reported.
Genetic testing on stool samples from those sickened shows they were sickened by the same Vibrio isolate. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted a traceback investigation that identified multiple brands of crab meat produced by multiple Venezuelan processors. The FDA could not identify a single firm as the source of the outbreak.
What is Vibrio?
Vibrio is a bacteria that naturally occurs in warm coastal waters such as the Gulf of Mexico. The concentration of Vibrio bacteria increases during summer the months when water gets warmer. People get Vibrio food poisoning when they eat seafood contaminated with bacteria. This infection, called vibriosis, causes symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
For people with liver disease, diabetes, cancer, stomach disorders, iron overload disease or for those who are immunocompromised, there is an increased risk of the infection traveling to the bloodstream and posing a life-threatening risk.
Experienced Vibrio Attorneys
The food safety lawyers at Pritzker Hageman law firm, led by attorney Fred Pritzker, are some of the few attorneys in the U.S. who have won these cases. You can use the form below to contact Fred or one of the other Vibrio attorneys at our firm about a lawsuit for money damages. The consultation is free and there is no obligation.