Fly borne Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Calcutta

V. parahaemolyticus has been detected from flies in all months of the year in Calcutta. The mean percentage of isolation is: housefly 14.1, blue bottle fly 18.5, external washing 10.1, viscera 22.6, flies of sweet shops 9.7 and those from fish market 22.7. Flies revealed higher (4.4%) isolation of Kanagawa postive V. parahaemolyticus strains than those of water and fish specimens (0.8%) studied previously. Strains negative to Kanagawa test but simulating enteropathogenic serotypes are recorded in 8.0% isolates. Possibility of fly borne contamination from the sources like human faeces, sewage and fish is discussed.