Specific Detection and Typing of Vibrio parahaemolyticus serotype O3:K6

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a bacterium that is naturally found in marine waters. Shellfish, which obtain food by filter feeding, easily concentrate such bacteria to high levels. Human infection with V. parahaemolyticus is most frequently associated with the consumption of seafood, primarily raw or improperly cooked shellfish. While most strains of V. parahaemolyticus are not pathogenic to humans, some strains cause gastroenteritis. Of three U.S. outbreaks of foodborne disease linked to consumption of raw oysters in 1997 and 1998, two have been attributed to a unique strain of V. parahaemolyticus (the O3:K6 serotype). This V. parahaemolyticus strain may have an enhanced ability to cause disease. Currently, identification of the O3:K6 serotype requires extensive biochemical and genetic tests, which are both time-consuming and expensive. The development of identification tools capable of rapidly identifying the O3:K6 strain of V. parahaemolyticus is a high priority. Therefore, our research aims to enhance the safety of seafood consumed in the US by strains. The ability to distinguish between potentially dangerous isolates and the more prevalent nonvirulent vibrios will provide critically important tools that will allow public health workers to develop scientifically based guidelines for identifying the water sources more likely to cause infection.