Vibrio bacteria caused a death in NC last year. Is it safe to eat raw oysters?

It’s very nearly summer in the Carolinas, which means many things: Cheerwine, alligators, sunburn, seafood — and Vibrio infections from natural bacteria found in coastal waters.

A Vibrio infection, which can cause a range of symptoms including fever, vomiting, nausea, skin lesions and even death, can come from eating raw or undercooked seafood.

Seafood lovers often disagree about when and if it is safe to eat raw oysters, so the Charlotte Observer asked an expert.

State Public Health Veterinarian Carl Williams said that overall, it is not recommended anyone eat raw or undercooked oysters.

“(Oysters) are filter feeders, so whatever is in the water, they will accumulate, and obviously, if the water is clean and doesn’t have any pathogen in it, then there’s not going to be any problems,” Williams said. “If you’re going to eat them raw, you’re definitely going to have a higher likelihood of developing some type of foodborne illness. I mean, you might not, but the odds are going to be greater if you eat them raw.”

North Carolina has seen an uptick in Vibrio bacteria infections, including 135 cases last year, one of which resulted in death. Vibrio bacteria are naturally occurring in salt and brackish water. There are over 200 species of Vibrio. One form, Vibrio Vulnificus, kills one in five infected patients through necrotizing fasciitis.

People can get Vibrio by eating raw or undercooked seafood or exposing an open wound to brackish water or seafood drippings. The Center for Disease Control estimates that out of 80,000 vibriosis cases yearly, 52,000 are from eating contaminated foods.

The CDC also recommends against eating raw oysters in large part due to Vibrio infections. There is no way to tell by looking at an oyster whether it contains Vibrio.

Other foodborne illnesses related to oysters

Oysters are also frequently tied to outbreaks of salmonella and norovirus. The CDC documented a salmonella outbreak tied to raw oysters in March 2026 that hospitalized 34 people in 23 states. The FDA advised people to avoid shellfish from Gomez Shellfish LLC in Washington due to norovirus in April 2026.

Williams said that Shigella has also been linked to raw oyster consumption.

The CDC notes that common oyster toppings lemon juice and hot sauce do not kill bacteria in raw oysters. Neither does consuming alcohol with the shellfish. You can also get sick from eating oysters harvested during any month of the year, though Vibrio infections are more common in summer.

Some are at a higher risk when eating raw oysters

Williams said that while it is not recommended, people will choose to eat raw oysters anyway. But some people are at significantly higher risk of illness and even death.

At high risk from Vibrio, according to the CDC, are people:

• Having liver disease, cancer, diabetes, HIV, or thalassemia
• Receiving immune-suppressing therapy for the treatment of disease
• Taking medicine to decrease stomach acid levels
• Having had recent stomach surgery

“I certainly wouldn’t, I don’t recommend anybody eat raw oysters, but if you’re in those risk categories, you should really think hard about it. I would argue it’s not worth it, but that’s an individual decision,” Williams said.

Williams also said that age can be a factor. Children and older adults should avoid raw shellfish.

Avoid brackish water if you have an open wound

People should also be careful not to go into brackish water with open wounds, Williams said, especially those with preexisting conditions.

“All of these Vibrio, they’re normal flora in the water, they’re supposed to be there,” Williams said. “The problem is they can also make us sick, so you just need to make sure that when you have an open wound that’s exposed to brackish water that it’s cleaned afterward.”

Eva Flowe

The Charlotte Observer

Eva Flowe is a North Carolina native and a graduate of the University of South Carolina. She joined the Charlotte Observer as part of the NC service journalism team in April 2026.