ABSTRACT

This chapter provides state-of-the-art overviews on foodborne diseases caused by Vibrio in relation to their etiology, biology, epidemiology, clinical presentation, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Humans usually acquire Vibrio infection through ingestion of raw or poorly cooked seafood, drinking of contaminated potable freshwater, or exposure of warm coastal waters to cuts and bruises on the skin. Similar to other marine bacteria, Vibrio spp. produce chitinase that degrades polysaccharide chitin forming the exoskeleton of various chitinous organisms, and plays a vital role in chitin remineralization. Use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR), loop-mediated isothermal amplification, and nucleic acid sequence-based amplification allows for improved identification and epidemiological tracking of Vibrio spp. By targeting the cholera toxin, hemolysin, and lolB genes, it is possible to differentiate among V. cholerae O1, O139, non-O1, and non-O139 strains; between toxigenic and nontoxigenic strains; and among V. cholerae, V. parahaemolyticus, and V. vulnificus.