The Vibrio parahaemolyticus pandemic

Among the 48 odd species currently recognized in the genus Vibrio belonging to the family Vibrionaceae (http://www.theicsp.org/taxa/vibriolist.htm#vibrio), 11 are recognized as human pathogens. Of these, Vibrio cholerae, V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus are the most important pathogenic vibrios both in terms of disease causing ability and the magnitude of global disease burden. Among the pathogenic vibrios, only toxigenic strains of V. cholerae belonging to either the O1 or O139 serogroup, the causative agent of the disease cholera, have the ability to cause epidemics and pandemics. Until recently, other vibrios including V. parahaemolyticus, were associated only with sporadic infections or localized outbreaks.