During August, 1971, three separate outbreaks of foodborne disease occurred in Maryland and involved about 425 (57%) of an estimated 745 at risk. Steamed crabs or crabmeat was the suspected vehicle of disease transmission in each outbreak. Vibrio parahaemolyticus was isolated from the crab and from stools of some ill persons in each outbreak.
During August, 1971, three separate foodborne disease outbreaks occurred in Maryland, involving about 425 (57%) persons of an estimated 745 at risk. In each outbreak, steamed crabs or crabmeat was the suspected vehicle of disease transmission. From the crab and from the stools of some ill persons in each outbreak, Vibrio parahaemolyticus was isolated.
Vibrio parahaemolyticus
was the etiological agent in three food-related epidemics of gastroenteritis in Maryland, during August 1971. These outbreaks involved crab food products. Fifteen isolates of
V. parahaemolyticus
were made which included 11 from patients and 4 from foods. Serotype 04:K11 was the cause of the outbreaks. It was recovered from patients in each outbreak and gave a positive Kanagawa reaction, an indication of enteropathogenicity. Other patient isolates included types 03:K30, 03:K33, and an untypable isolate, all of which were Kanagawa negative. Food isolates included serotypes 03:K30, 02:K28, and two untypable isolates, all of which were Kanagawa negative. The outbreaks reported in this paper constitute the first confirmed foodborne epidemics due to
V. parahaemolyticus
in the United States. Methods for the isolation and identification of
V. parahaemolyticus
are presented, including a procedure for the simple conversion of conventional laboratory media into suitable culture media for this halophilic organism.
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