title: Potentially pathogenic vibrios associated with mussels from a tropical region on the Atlantic coast of Brazil.
abstract: Mussels (Perna perna) harvested on the coast of Ubatuba, in three different stations in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, were examined for Vibrio spp. over a 1 year period. The ranges of most probable number (MPN 100 g-1) were: Vibrio alginolyticus (< 3-24,000), V. parahaemolyticus (< 3-24,000), V. fluvialis (< 3-1100), V. cholerae non-O1 (< 3-23), V. furnissii (< 3-30), V. mimicus (< 3-9) and V. vulnificus (< 3-3). The highest incidence was observed for V. alginolyticus (92-100%), followed by V. parahaemolyticus (67-92%), V. fluvialis (34-67%), V. vulnificus (8-17%), V. furnissii (0-17%), V. mimicus (0-17%) and V. cholerae non-O1 (0-8%). Tests for virulence factors were positive in 34.1% of the vibrios in the rabbit ileal loop and 31.7% in the Dean test. Positive results in the Kanagawa test were obtained with 0.51% of V. parahaemolyticus strains. The mean values (MPN 100 g-1) of faecal coliforms in mussels from the three regions varied from 1100 to 44,000, and seawater collected at the same stations gave average values for faecal coliforms in the range 18-3300 MPN 100 ml-1. These results highlight the potential risks of food poisoning associated with raw or undercooked seafood.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Matté
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Matté
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.forename: I G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Rivera
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Martins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001267:Atlantic Ocean; D001681:Biological Assay; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000382:microbiology*; D001938:Brazil; D007082:Ileum / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D011817:Rabbits; D012623:Seawater; D014329:Tropical Climate; D014733:Vibrio / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014774:Virulence