ABSTRACT
I. BACKGROUND Vibrios are part of the normal flora of an aquatic environment, and therefore most human infections are acquired by exposure to water or consumption or handling of foods harvested from such environments. During the last 20 years, an increasing number of infections have been attributed to species other than Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Vibrio vulnificus. Other vibrios that are responsible for infections include Vibrio mimicus, Vibrio fluvialis, Vibrio furnissii, Vibrio hollisae, Vibrio damsela, Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio metschnikovii, Vibrio cincinnatiensis, and Vibrio carchariae. Most of these nine pathogenic vibrios have been the subject of excellent reviews (1-9). The aim of this chapter is to update the information, especially that pertaining to the epidemiology, diseases, putative virulence factors, and genetics of the virulence factors. Most of the information presented in this review is retrieved from publications in English literature.
