Notes from the field: Vibrio mimicus infection from consuming crayfish --- Spokane, Washington, June 2010.

On June 24, 2010, the Spokane (Washington) Regional Health District (SRHD) was notified of two hospitalized patients under intensive care with severe dehydration whose stool specimens yielded Vibrio mimicus. CDC was asked to assist with the environmental and epidemiologic investigation. Investigators learned that both persons had consumed crayfish on June 20, 2010. The previous day, live crayfish obtained from an online seafood company had been boiled and served warm at a party. The chef reported that the boiled crayfish were served out of a cooler that had contained live crayfish, and the cooler had not been cleaned before being used to serve the cooked crayfish. After the party, the remaining crayfish were refrigerated overnight in different containers and served cold as leftovers the following evening on June 20.