title: [K-serotype analyses of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated in northern Taiwan, 1983 through 1993].
abstract: From 1983 through 1993, 786 strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus were collected from food-borne disease outbreaks and sporadic cases of diarrheal illness in northern Taiwan, involving 42 K-serotypes. Five top leading serotypes were K8 (36.8%), K15 (10.8%), K12 (8.7%), K56 (7.9%) and K63 (4.7%). However, a variation of K-serotypes was found during this study period. From 112 food-borne outbreaks associated with this microorganism, only 54 (48.2%) outbreaks were caused by a single serotype, while 58 (51.8%) were caused by multiple K-serotypes. Numbers of outbreaks caused by two, three and more than three K-serotypes were 29 (26%), 16 (14.2%), and 13 (11.6%), respectively. In a special outbreak, eight K-serotypes was found. Outbreaks caused by party caterers were most frequently associated with multiple K-serotypes.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Preventive Medicine, Department of Health, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Pan
mesh_terms: D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D012703:Serotyping; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014736:Vibrio parahaemolyticus / Q000145:classification*