Searching for Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Food

Vibrio bacteria live naturally in certain coastal waters and are present in higher concentrations during months with higher water temperatures. Certain types of vibrio bacteria cause a disease in humans known as vibriosis. The most common species causing the disease are the bacteria vibrio parahaemolyticus and vibrio cholerae.

These bacteria cause approximately 80,000 diseases and more than a hundred deaths each year in the United States. Generally, the disease is infected by consuming raw or undercooked shellfish (especially oysters) or by exposing a wound to seawater (especially where rivers meet the sea). People with weakened immune systems, especially those with chronic liver disease, are more likely to get the disease.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus and vibrio cholerae are the main vibrio species associated with seafood-borne infections. These bacteria thrive mainly in temperate regions. Oysters are edible creatures that can be partially cooked or even raw. Therefore, it poses a very high risk to the health of consumers, especially in tropical regions.

Vibrio concentration depends on geographical and hydrographic conditions. The determining factors in filtering these bacteria are their species, their position in the water column and their persistence in the water. Vibrios are part of the natural habitat of the marine and estuarine environments, and the species vibrio parahaemolyticus and vibrio cholerae are pathogenic to humans.

"Searching for Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio parahaemolyticus" is carried out in our laboratories in accordance with the legal regulations and standards related to TÜRKAK accreditation.