Insights into foodborne Vibrio parahaemolyticus – a review

Abstract

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a bacterium which normally inhabits the aquatic environment. In the Asian region, as well as in the United States, it is one of the main causative agents of foodborne illnesses in humans after consumption of raw or partially processed marine hydrobionts. The pathogenetic mechanism of V. parahaemolyticus involves a number of factors such as hemolysin, two types of secretory systems, and adhesion agents. Foodborne outbreaks caused by V. parahaemolyticus usually occur in summer when the water temperature is above 15°C. In view of the rising global temperatures, V. parahaemolyticus is becoming more widespread and risks becoming a serious threat to countries that lack control systems for this pathogen. At the same time, attention should be paid to the reports about the presence of many field strains of V. parahaemolyticus resistant to a number of antibiotics such as ampicillin, streptomycin, and cefazolin. This article aimed to support the understanding of V. parahaemolyticus as a threat to public health by summarizing the main methods of isolation and identification, incidence, antimicrobial resistance and factors that affect the survival rate of the pathogen in seafood.