Pathologies attribuables à la consommation de coquillages

From a literature survey, a long list of germs and pollutants found in shellfish has been drawn up, which are potential pathogens when eaten. These consist of microbes, which, carried by the effluent from human or animal communities, reach shoreline ponds and oyster production sites. Transmission from faecal material to the eaten seafood is the origin of a variety of clinical conditions: septicaemia, typhoid, viral hepatitis A, neurological syndromes, and gastro-enteritis induced by bacteria, parasites or viruses. Other illnesses are associated with specific agents coming from the water environment: vibrios and toxic seaweeds, whose growth has been affected by nutrients in the untreated, surrounding waters, and depends on climatic and ecological conditions. The treatment of waste water from communities, and the protection of production sites are the sole means of illness prevention, since the case of shellfish, eaten alive and raw, and having been taken directly from the natural production environment, is a paradox in our ⪡hyper-secure⪢ food system. All food intake in the festive season has risks: for these to be acceptable, producers and control mechanisms must work together to reduce them.