title: Environmental investigation for the presence of Vibrio species following a case of severe gastroenteritis in a touristic island.
abstract: Global changes have caused a worldwide increase in reports of Vibrio-associated diseases with ecosystem-wide impacts on humans and marine animals. In Europe, higher prevalence of human infections followed regional climatic trends with outbreaks occurring during episodes of unusually warm weather. Similar patterns were also observed in Vibrio-associated diseases affecting marine organisms such as fish, bivalves, and corals. Following a possible human case of infection due to V. cholerae in the island of Kos (eastern Aegean, Greece), environmental samples were collected and tested for the presence of Vibrio species. Using chromogenic agar and MALDI-TOF MS, V. parahaemolyticus, V. vulnificus V. furnisii, V. alginolyticus, and V. fluvialis were isolated and/or identified. The presence of V. cholerae was established by PCR-sequencing analysis only. Following the susceptibility testing of the Vibrio isolates, only one, V. furnisii, showed intermediate resistance to ciprofloxacin. The rest of the isolates were susceptible to all antibiotics tested. The presence of Vibrio species in aquatic samples reveals potential dangers due to exposure to contaminated seawaters.
authors.affiliation: Hellenic Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Assimoula
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Economopoulou
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Bacteriology, Parasitology, Zoonoses and Geographical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71100, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.|Regional Laboratory of Public Health of Crete, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimosthenis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chochlakis
authors.affiliation: Hellenic Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Michael Angelos
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Almpan
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Bacteriology, Parasitology, Zoonoses and Geographical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71100, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.|Regional Laboratory of Public Health of Crete, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Vassilios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sandalakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Parasitology, Zoonoses and Geographical Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maraki
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Bacteriology, Parasitology, Zoonoses and Geographical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71100, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Yannis
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tselentis
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Bacteriology, Parasitology, Zoonoses and Geographical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71100, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. annapsa@med.uoc.gr.|Regional Laboratory of Public Health of Crete, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece. annapsa@med.uoc.gr.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Psaroulaki
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000382:microbiology*; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D062312:Islands; D014733:Vibrio / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Chromagar; MALDI-TOF; Susceptibility testing; Vibrio