Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibilities of Vibrio, salmonella, and Aeromonas isolates from various uncooked seafoods in Thailand.
Uncooked seafood samples were collected from open markets and supermarkets in Bangkok, Thailand, and were examined for the presence of Vibrio, Salmonella, and Aeromonas species from January to February 2008. From 120 samples, 272 bacterial isolates were identified through  biochemical testing. Of all sea bass, shrimp, oyster, and blood cockle samples (30 of each) that were processed for culture, 114 (95%) samples had at least one detectable isolate of Vibrio, Salmonella, or Aeromonas, leaving only 6 (5%) samples free of them. All oyster sample  (100%) had at least one pathogen, followed by sea bass (97%), blood cockles (97%), and shrimp (90%). Overall, 111 (92%) of all samples had detectable Vibrio spp., 32 (27%) had detectable Aeromonas spp., and 25 (21%) had detectable Salmonella enterica. There was no overall  difference between positive samples collected from fresh markets versus supermarkets (relative risk, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.89 to 1.05). Resistance to ampicillin among isolated pathogens was relatively high (56%), while resistance to 12 other antibiotics, including azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, and  trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, was relatively low (0, 0, and 3%, respectively). Study results indicate that uncooked seafood in Bangkok, Thailand, commonly harbors enteric pathogens and that consumption of uncooked seafood should be avoided to reduce foodborne illnesses.
Bavaria Medical Department, CMR 411 Box 2343, APO AE 09112. joseph.woodring@us.army.mil
Joseph
J
Woodring
Apichai
A
Srijan
Paksathorn
P
Puripunyakom
Wilawan
W
Oransathid
Boonchai
B
Wongstitwilairoong
Carl
C
Mason
D000333:Aeromonas / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003132:Commerce / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012475:Salmonella / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017747:Seafood / Q000382:microbiology*; D012758:Shellfish / Q000382:microbiology*; D013785:Thailand; D014733:Vibrio / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents