Quantitative Risk Assessment on the Public Health Impact of Pathogenic Vibro parahaemolyticus in Raw Oysters

摘要

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted a quantitative risk assessment to characterize the factors influencing the public health impact associated with the consumption of raw oysters containing pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus. This effort was initiated in January 1999 and a draft risk assessment was made available for public comment in 2001. The risk assessment was conducted in response to four outbreaks in 1997 and 1998 in the United States involving over 700 cases of illness. These outbreaks renewed concern for this pathogen as a serious foodborne threat to public health and raised new concerns about the effectiveness of risk management guidance available at that time. These outbreaks also raised questions about the criteria used to close and reopen shellfish waters to harvesting and the FDA guidance for the maximum number of V. parahaemolyticus per gram in shellfish. FDA decided to conduct a quantitative risk assessment to provide new insights into how to better manage the presence of this pathogenic microorganism in shellfish.