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

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RAW TROPICAL OYSTERS AS VEHICLES FOR MULTIDRUG-RESISTANT Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Renata Albuquerque Costa1, Rayza Lima Araújo1, Regine Helena Silva Dos Fernandes Vieira1

  • 1Sea Science Institute, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.

Revista Do Instituto De Medicina Tropical De Sao Paulo
|July 23, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Most Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains from Brazilian oysters are multi-drug resistant, posing a health risk to consumers. This highlights the need for vigilance in consuming raw seafood due to potential antibacterial-resistant microorganisms.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Food Safety
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a common cause of seafood-borne gastroenteritis.
  • Oysters, particularly Crassostrea rhizophorae, can accumulate pathogenic bacteria.
  • Antibiotic resistance in foodborne pathogens is a growing global concern.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains.
  • To assess the prevalence of antibiotic resistance in oysters from Fortaleza, Brazil.
  • To evaluate the public health implications of antibiotic-resistant Vibrio parahaemolyticus in oysters.

Main Methods:

  • Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (antibiogram) was performed on 87 Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates.
  • Nine antibiotics were tested: gentamicin, ampicillin, penicillin G, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, nalidixic acid, tetracycline, vancomycin, and erythromycin.
  • Plasmid-mediated resistance was investigated.

Main Results:

  • All 87 isolates exhibited resistance to at least one antibiotic.
  • A high prevalence of multi-drug resistance was observed, with 97.7% of strains resistant to multiple antibiotics.
  • The most common resistance profile was vancomycin, penicillin, and ampicillin (Van+ Pen+Amp).
  • Plasmid-borne resistance to penicillin, ampicillin, and erythromycin was detected.

Conclusions:

  • Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains from oysters in Fortaleza, Brazil, display significant antimicrobial resistance.
  • The consumption of raw oysters contaminated with these resistant strains poses a considerable health risk to consumers.
  • This study underscores the importance of monitoring antibiotic resistance in seafood to protect public health.

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