Man Dies After Eating ‘One In A Billion’ Bad Oyster At Florida Restaurant

A 'one in a billion bad oyster caused a Florida man to tragically die from a bacterial infection.

The unidentified man had been eating at the Rustic Inn Crabhouse in Fort Lauderdale, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

The restaurant manager was surprised when, after chowing down on the substandard shellfish, the customer became ill with Vibrio even though he had just served 100 dozen oysters.

Gary Oreal reportedly said: “He had that one in a billion that was bad. I feel horrible.”

“Oysters are top of the mountain for dangerous foods to eat. I have eaten them my entire life and will continue. But you are putting yourself at risk when you do it.”

“For 60 years, we have served a couple of billion oysters and we never had anyone get sick as this guy did.”

The Florida Department of Health inspected the kitchen after the incident, and according to Mr. Oreal, it passed "with flying colors."

A violet infection called Vibrio also referred to as cholera, can be present in rotten shellfish.

Severe watery diarrhea, vomiting, and severe dehydration are among the symptoms, as well as urine that is dark yellow and strongly smelled.

According to the Florida Department of Health, 26 people have caught the bacteria this year after eating raw shellfish, especially oysters, and six of them have since passed away. Out of the 34 people who were ill in 2021, 10 died.

Among the 36 people that developed an illness in 2020, seven people passed away.

According to Robert "Wes" Farr, a professor at the University of West Florida, infections caused by the bacteria are frequent in oysters and raw seafood during the summer when water temperatures are higher.