Pathogen update: Vibrio species

Abstract: Members of the genus Vibrio are common inhabitants of the marine environment, associated with vertebrate and invertebrate animals. Some species cause foodborne illness from seafood such as undercooked or raw fish and shellfish. This review focuses on the current state of knowledge for the human pathogenic Vibrio species. V. parahaemolyticus is the leading cause of bacterial seafood-borne illness worldwide, while V. vulnificus is the leading cause of seafood-related deaths. While much research has ascertained potential mechanisms of virulence and contributed to a variety of mitigation strategies, there is a need to improve methods to assess risk and to develop improved early warning systems for public health and resource managers.