Vibriosis prompts oyster harvest areas to be closed; blue-green algae still found in lakes
By Jeff Chew, Peninsula Daily News
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The recreational oyster harvest closure also includes the shores of Triton Cove State Park at the Jefferson-Mason County line, the department said Friday.
In an unrelated water quality report, also released Friday, Jefferson County Public Health has given Tarboo Lake a "warning" status after heightened levels of toxic blue-green algae were found in lab tests last week.
Blue-green algae found in the lake are from the genera microcystis, anabaena and aphanizomenon.
These algae can produce anatoxin-a or microsystin that can cause liver damage or nerve impairment.
Small children and people with liver problems are most at risk from these toxins.
Users are warned not to drink lake water, swim in the lake, or consume fish from the lake.
Tarboo Lake is open for recreational boating.
Clallam County lakes have not been tested for toxic blue-green algae. Health officials are visually monitoring them.
Raw oysters
The vibrio closures were based on a number of human vibriosis cases associated with eating raw oysters from Quilcene Bay, said Andrew Shogren, Jefferson County environmental health director.
Quilcene Bay will remain closed to the recreational harvest of oysters at least through the month of September, he said.
Recreational beaches affected are the Quilcene Bay Tidelands, West Quilcene Bay Beach, and Point Whitney Tidelands.
Vibrio causes a variety of symptoms including diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, headache, fever, and chills.
The symptoms usually appear about 12 hours after eating infected shellfish, but they can occur anywhere from two to 48 hours after consumption.
The illness is usually mild to moderate, and lasts for two to seven days.
Vibriosis is an intestinal illness caused by naturally occurring bacteria known as Vibrio parahaemolyticus.
Unlike paralytic shellfish poisoning and domoic acid toxins, Vibrio is destroyed by thorough cooking.
Each summer the state Department of Health issues a vibrio advisory for all of Hood Canal to remind recreational shellfish harvesters that shellfish in Hood Canal should be thoroughly cooked between the months of May through October to avoid vibriosis.
The Department of Health offers the following tips to summer harvesters of shellfish in Washington State:
The Department of Health additionally reminds consumers that store-bought shellfish must be refrigerated and handled properly to prevent illness.
Other lakes
At other county lakes, samples taken Tuesday continued to confirm high levels blue-green algae.
Jefferson County Public Health continues to issue a health advisory warning of high levels of potentially-toxic blue-green algae in Anderson Lake, Gibbs Lake, and Crocker Lake.
State Park officials more than a month ago closed Anderson Lake is to boating.
At Lake Leland, the county health department continues to issue a health advisory cautioning users of moderate levels of potentially toxic blue-green algae.
Lake Leland is not safe for drinking water; recreational use is OK, with some simple cautions.
Small children and pets should stay out of the water.
A dog died after drinking Anderson Lake water in 2006. The lake was closed for the first time after the incident.
Fish caught for consumption should be cleaned in fresh water and the organs and skin discarded.
The lakes have the potential of forming dense scums of algae that pose a high risk.
The scum can appear as a pale cottony mass, a green fuzzy blob, or a slick that looks like a paint spill.
People should avoid coming in contact with them.
The county health department is monitoring publicly-accessible lakes in Jefferson County during the recreational season of April-September.
Anderson Lake, Lake Leland, and Gibbs Lake have a history of blue-green algae blooms and are being sampled weekly.
Other publicly-accessible lakes in the county are sampled when blooms are observed.
These samples are sent to a laboratory in Tacoma to identify the algal species present and determine their concentrations.
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Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
Last modified: September 06. 2008 9:00PM