In August 2011, an outbreak of vibriosis associated with consumption of raw oysters sold at a restaurant was investigated by local and state public health agency staff in Minnesota. The outbreak was triggered by a report of a case of Vibrio parahaemolyticus detected via routine surveillance. The case reported eating raw oysters at a restaurant in Hennepin County on August 19. Two additional individuals from a party of 6 became ill after eating raw oysters at the restaurant on August 20. A stool specimen collected from one of the two individual was positive for Vibrio fluvialis.

The restaurant provided investigators with credit card receipts and reservation lists from people who at the restaurant on August 19 and 20. Hennepin County Human Services and Public Health Department (HSPHD) epidemiologists interviewed 18 restaurant patrons. Four people met the case definition for an outbreak associated case. Two people were hospitalized. No one died.

All four cases reported eating raw oysters. Cases reported eating a variety of raw oysters: one case (the V. parahaemolyticus case) reported eating Blue Point oysters; two other cases (the V. fluvialis and the dining companion case) ate Blue Point oysters, Mexican-style oysters, and several different varieties of oysters sold as 2-per-serving; the case identified from credit card receipts only had Buckley Bay oysters.