2013-2016년 경남 연안 해수 및 패류에서 병원성 비브리오균의 계절적 및 지역적 변동

The seasonal and spatial variation of pathogenic Vibrio species, such as V. parahaemolyticus, V. vulnificus, V. alginolyticus, and V. cholerae were investigated in seawater and in bivalves off the Gyeongnam coast of Korea, which is an important area for shellfish production, during the period 2013-2016. V. parahaemolyticus, V. vulnificus, V. alginolyticus, and V. cholerae were detected in 12.1%, 5.2%, 15.4%, and 0.9% of seawater samples, respectively. V. parahaemolyticus, V. vulnificus, V. alginolyticus, and V. cholera were detected in 21.9%, 7.1%, 12.2%, and 0.0% of shellfish samples, respectively. The Vibrio spp. in seawater and bivalve samples were detected at high levels during the summer to early autumn; however, the levels were low during the winter. Therefore, their occurrence was seasonally dependent and correlated with high water temperature, which is also the biggest factor contributing to foodborne outbreaks associated with Vibrio. Relatively high detection rates of the strains were also found in the sea area that was continually exposed to inland wastewater. Our findings show that continuous monitoring is needed to reveal the patterns of occurrence of these pathogens from marine samples collected off the Korean coast, to reduce seafood-borne outbreaks caused by Vibrio.