FDA warns consumers not to eat shellfish from Oyster Bay Harbor, Nassau County, NY

By FDA.gov

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to eat raw or partially cooked oysters and clams (shellfish) with tags listing Oyster Bay Harbor, in Nassau County, N.Y., as the harvest area, following illnesses reported in several states caused by vibrio parahaemolyticus bacteria.

Shellfish harvested from Oyster Bay Harbor have been linked to confirmed and possible cases of vibrio parahaemolyticus illness.

Ill persons reported consumption of raw or partially cooked shellfish from the affected area.

The New York state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) closed Oyster Bay Harbor, on July 13 to shellfish harvesting.

All shellfish harvesters, shippers, re-shippers, processors, restaurants, and retail food establishments are advised to check the identity tags on all containers of shellfish in their inventories. If the tag indicates the harvest area was Oyster Bay Harbor and a harvest date on or after June 1, 2012, the product should be disposed of and not be sold or served.

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Blood Pressure Medicine Linked To Severe Gastric Distress

Mayo Clinic doctors find olmesartan can cause nausea, vomiting and weight loss

By Mark Huffman, ConsumerAffairs.com

Olmesartan is a commonly prescribed medication that helps patients control their blood pressure. But Mayo Clinic researchers say it can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss and electrolyte abnormalities -- symptoms common among those who have celiac disease.

The findings are published online in the medical journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Their discovery took shape over a three year period, from 2008 to 2011. Doctors at Mayo Clinic treated 22 patients with symptoms similar to celiac disease who suffered symptoms like chronic diarrhea and weight loss. The median weight loss was 39 pounds, and one patient lost 125 pounds. Fourteen of the 22 were hospitalized because of the severity of their symptoms.

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