This seemingly small fact about oysters may make them a serious danger to your health

The big question: Are oysters dangerous or delicious? While these slimy little creatures are considered a delicacy in many places around the world, there are also a handful of people who view them as unpleasant or pure repulsive. But whether you're an oyster lover or hater, the bottom line remains -- are they dangerous to our health?

It's commonly known that if an oyster smells like anything other than the sea, you should avoid it at all costs. It's no big secret that oysters which aren't fresh will reveal serious repercussions, but apparently there's one major hazard to eating oysters other than their smell that can be detrimental to your health.

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Vibrio vulnificus, a bacteria that lies in raw oysters, can't be seen, smelled or tasted. In other words, there is no warning it's there what so ever. Scary, right? It gets even worse. According to the FDA, Vibrio vulnificus thrives in warm coastal areas and can be life threatening or fatal when eaten by someone with liver disease, diabetes or a weakened immune system.

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And if you think, just a few oysters here and there can't harm you that significantly, think again.

%shareLinks-quote="Roberta Hammond, Ph.D, the Food and Waterborne Disease Coordinator for Florida, cites a case where a fatality caused by Vibrio vulnificus occurred after eating only three oysters. The seriousness of any case depends on many factors." type="quote" author="FDA.gov" authordesc="" isquoteoftheday="false"%

According to the CDC, oysters are responsible for over 80 hospitalizations and over 30 deaths every year. The only way to completely kill the bacteria is by cooking the oyster thoroughly.

Click through below for healthy eating myths you should know:

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