After the Oregon Department of Agriculture confirmed three cases of Campylobacter related to the consumption of raw shucked oysters from the Coos Bay Oyster Company the company issued a recall notice for all of its shucked oysters — a recall that has then expanded to include all of its shellstock oysters as well.
The oysters were distributed through wholesale dealers and retail stores in Oregon and California. Coos Bay Oyster Company said it has ceased production and distribution of the product while the state agriculture officials and the company continue investigating the cause of the problem.
The recall includes:
• Plastic Tubs (half-gallon, quart, pint and half-pint), Coos Bay Oyster Co. raw or ready-to-eat shucked oysters, with sell-by dates from Jan. 15-Feb. 17.
• Red onion sacks that contain five dozen shellstock oysters in various sizes with a Coos Bay Oyster Co. label and shellstock tags with various harvest dates between December and January.
Campylobacter symptoms include diarrhea, headache and body ache, cramping, abdominal pain, and fever. Typically, this occurs within 2-5 days after being exposed to the organism. The diarrhea may be bloody and can be accompanied by nausea and vomiting. The illness usually lasts one week. Department of Agriculture said some infected persons may not show any symptoms, but those with compromised immune systems face the added danger of it spreading to the bloodstream, where it can cause a serious, life-threatening infection.