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Development of a More Sensitive and Specific Chromogenic Agar Medium for the Detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Other Vibrio Species
09:34

Development of a More Sensitive and Specific Chromogenic Agar Medium for the Detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Other Vibrio Species

Published on: November 8, 2016

[Characteristics of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from mussels (Perna perna) commercialized at Niterói, Rio de

Christiane Soares Pereira1, Cristina de Albuquerque Possas, Célio Mauro Viana

  • 1Laboratório de Enterobactérias, Departamento de Bacteriologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ. chrisspm@ioc.fiocruz.br

Revista Da Sociedade Brasileira De Medicina Tropical
|May 9, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Vibrio parahaemolyticus bacteria were found in 11.6% of mussel samples. These bacteria, some pathogenic, pose a public health risk through seafood consumption, especially if mussels are undercooked.

Area of Science:

  • Marine microbiology
  • Food safety
  • Bacteriology

Background:

  • Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a marine bacterium causing human gastroenteritis.
  • Seafood consumption is a common route for Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection.
  • Mussels are a potential vehicle for this pathogen.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in mussel samples.
  • To assess the pathogenic potential of isolated strains.
  • To inform public health and sanitary surveillance.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and identification of Vibrio parahaemolyticus from mussel samples.
  • Urease and Kanagawa tests to assess pathogenicity.
  • Serotyping to identify specific strains.

Main Results:

  • Vibrio parahaemolyticus was detected in 11.6% of natural and precooked mussel samples.
  • All isolated strains were urease-positive; 28.5% were Kanagawa-positive, indicating pathogenic potential.
  • O10:K52 was the predominant serotype, with the emerging O3:K6 strain also identified.

Conclusions:

  • Vibrio parahaemolyticus is epidemiologically relevant in mussel consumption.
  • Undercooked mussels pose a risk of gastroenteritis due to this pathogen.
  • Alerts are necessary for Brazilian Sanitary Surveillance regarding food chain contamination and public health risks.

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