Abstract

S. Rajapandiyan1*, K. Sudha1 and Kantha D. Arunachalam1

Vibrio vulnificus is a notorious sea-food borne pathogen with a high mortality rate. This is ubiquitously present in marine environments, particularly in tropical water. In these studies the prevalence of V. vulnificus in fishes caught off Chennai coast of Indian Ocean are determined. Commercially important fishes were analyzed for the occurrence of vibrios of which some of them were harbored fishes. The vibrios constitute up to 19 - 39% of the total aerobic flora. The prevalence of V. vulnificus constitutes about 13% of total vibrios isolated from fish. Other clinically important vibrios isolated are Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio alginolyticus. The comprehensive data regarding the environmental occurrence and levels, niches, survival, seasonality and strain diversity will be helpful for developing sea food strategies which helps to eliminate the risk of V. vulnificus in exporting sea foods.