Raw oysters cause Hepatitis A among Arizonans, including Yuma County resident

Health officials are warning people not to eat raw shellfish after 13 Arizonans, one of them a Yuma County resident, contracted hepatitis A from eating uncooked oysters at Rocky Point, Son., in March. "These cases are a reminder that there is a real risk of getting sick from uncooked shellfish, regardless of where it came from," state epidemiologist Ken Komatsu said in a news release.

"Our warning is consistent with what the state is doing," added Benito Lopez, epidemiologist with the Yuma County Health Department.

"Avoid consuming oysters, clams and all shelled seafood that is raw. That is the recommendation."

Hepatitis A "is an illness transmitted basically through food," Lopez said. "Hepatitis A is a viral illness. Generally, the form of transmission is through consumption of food generally contaminated by fecal material."

Hepatitis can take from 15 to 50 days to develop, Lopez said. While it is not generally fatal, he added, symptoms can include fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, nausea, stomach discomfort and sometimes a yellow tint to the eyes.

The 13 people who contracted hepatitis A had reported eating oysters between March 8 and 25 at various places in Rocky Point, or Puerto Peñasco, including oyster farms and street vendors, the state health department news release said. Mexican health officials are investigating to try to find the source of contamination.

In addition to the one person from Yuma County who became ill, residents of Maricopa and Pima counties were also affected. Their names were not released.

Anyone who has consumed raw shellfish within that time period is advised to contact a doctor or the health department.

Lopez said warnings about raw shellfish apply not only to Rocky Point and elsewhere on the Gulf of California, but everywhere. Similar cases of hepatitis A related to raw shellfish have been reported in California, Texas, Alabama, Louisiana and Florida, he said.

Lopez also recommends against eating ceviche unless it has been cooked with a heat source in addition to being marinated in citrus juice.

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PREVENTING HEPATITIS A, SALMONELLA AND OTHER FOODBORNE ILLNESSES

-Wash vegetables thoroughly.

-Prepare meats and vegetables in separate places.

-Clean food preparation surfaces before and after use.

-Thoroughly wash hands before preparing food, before eating and after going to the restroom.

-For more information about hepatitis A, call the county health department at 341-4550 or 317-4624, or visit www.cdc.gov.

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Diana Suarez is a staff writer for Bajo El Sol, The Sun's Spanish-language sister publication.