Prevalence, serotyping and molecular characterization of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in mussels from Italian growing areas, Adriatic Sea

Abstract

The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of total and pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains in Italian mussels from different geographical areas of the Adriatic Sea and to determine their serotypes, toxigenic profiles and pandemic potential. Out of 559 samples analysed during 2007, 65 (11.6%) were positive for V. parahaemolyticus. None of the isolates had the genes for thermostable direct haemolysin (tdh) and pandemic marker (toxRS), while five strains (7.7%) had that for TDH-related haemolysin (trh). Regarding geographical location of the toxigenic strains, three were from the Adriatic coast of Puglia, one from Veneto, and one from the Marches. The trh-positive V. parahaemolyticus isolates from Puglia belonged to O1:KUT (2/3) and O1:K37(1/3) serotypes, the trh-positive isolate from the Marches to OUT(O untypeable):KUT serotype, and that from Veneto to O3:KUT. The prevalence of trh-positive V. parahaemolyticus obtained from mussels in this study was higher respect to that reported in previous studies from other European and Extraeuropean countries. The Health Authorities should be more aware of the epidemiological role of environmental V. parahaemolyticus in local food-borne diseases, and increase the microbial surveillance on these microorganisms isolated from shellfish.

Comparative Study on Faecal Contamination and Occurrence of Salmonella spp. and Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Two Species of Shellfish in Morocco

“…In other study on mussels of the Adriatic Sea in Italy, onto 144 samples, 24.3% were shown Vibrio parahaemolyticus, but in other work from the same region, V. parahaemolyticus was found with a prevalence of 11.6% on 559 samples [16,17]. In the last study, non V. parahaemolyticus tdh positive was found, but 7.7% were trh positive.…”

Quantification of Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio cholerae in French Mediterranean coastal lagoons

“…In general, the percentage of samples that were positive for pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus varied according to geographic site, ranging from <20% to 100%. However, the percentage of pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus strains was <0.1%–15% of total V. parahaemolyticus (Deter et al, 2010; DePaola et al, 2003; Hervio-Heath et al, 2002; Ottaviani et al, 2010; Robert-Pillot et al, 2004). …”

Hygiene and health risks associated with the consumption of edible lamellibranch molluscs

“…In the Mediterranean Basin and particularly in Italy, few studies have been carried out concerning the presence of potential pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus strains. Only recently have trh + strains (7.7%) been reported in mussels collected from the Adriatic Sea (Ottaviani et al, 2010), while previous studies never identified trh + strains (Baffone et al, 2006;Caburlotto et al, 2008).…”