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Updated: Dec 28, 2025
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
Experimental evaluation of survival of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in fertilized cold-water sediment
B Collin1, B Hernroth1,2
1Department of Natural Science, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden.
Aims:
This experimental study focuses on survival and consistence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in cold-water sediments and how increasing temperature and nutritional availability can affect growth.
Methods And Results:
A pathogenic strain of V. parahaemolyticus was inoculated in seawater microcosms containing bottom sediment. Gradually, during 14 days, the temperature was upregulated from 8 to 21°C. Culturable V. parahaemolyticus was only found in the sediment but declined over time and did not recover even after another 2 days at 37°C. Numbers of culturable bacteria matched the amount found by q-PCR indicating that they did not enter a dormant state, contrary to those in the water layer. After adding decaying phytoplankton as fertilizer to the microcosms of 8 and 21°C for 7 and 14 days, the culturability of the bacteria increased significantly in the sediments at both temperatures and durations of exposure.
Conclusion:
The study showed that V. parahaemolyticus can stay viable in cold-water sediment and growth was stimulated by fertilizers rather than by temperature.
Significance And Impact Of The Study:
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a common cause of seafood-borne gastroenteritis and is today recognized in connection to increasing ocean temperature. The results indicate that this pathogen should be considered a risk in well-fertilized environments, such as aquacultures, even during cold periods.
