High Salinity Relaying to Reduce Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus in Chesapeake Bay Oysters (Crassostrea virginica).
Cases of Vibrio infections in the United States have tripled from 1996 to 2009 and these infections are most often associated with the consumption of seafood, particularly oysters (Crassostrea virginica). Information is needed on how to reduce numbers of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus in bi-valve molluscan shellfish (for example, oysters). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of high salinity relaying or treatment in recirculating aquaculture systems (RASs) as methods to reduce the abundance of V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus in oysters. For relaying field trials, oysters were collected from approved harvest waters, temperature abused outside under a tarp for 4 h, and then transferred to high (29 to 33 ppt.) and moderate (12 to 19 ppt.) salinities. For RAS treatment trial, oysters were transferred to 32 to 34 ppt. salinity at 15 °C. After 7, 14, 21, and in some instances 28 d, oysters were collected and analyzed for V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus levels using multiplex real-time PCR. Initial levels of V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus ranged from 3.70 to 5.64 log10 MPN/g, and were reduced by 2 to 5 logs after 21 to 28 d in high salinity water (29 to 34 ppt.). Oyster mortalities averaged 4% or less, and did not exceed 7%. Relaying of oysters to high salinity field sites or transfer to high salinity RAS tanks was more effective in reducing V. vulnificus compared with V. parahaemolyticus. These results suggest that high salinity relaying of oysters is more effective in reducing V. vulnificus than V. parahaemolyticus in the oyster species used in this study.
['Parveen|Salina|S|', 'Jahncke|Michael|M|', 'Elmahdi|Sara|S|', 'Crocker|Helen|H|', 'Bowers|John|J|', 'White|Chanelle|C|', 'Gray|Stephanie|S|', 'Morris|Amanda C|AC|', 'Brohawn|Kathy|K|']
D000818:Animals D017756:Aquaculture D061006:Bays D015169:Colony Count, Microbial D049896:Crassostrea D005504:Food Analysis D005506:Food Contamination D005843:Geography D008396:Maryland D010125:Ostreidae D054712:Salinity D017747:Seafood D012758:Shellfish D013696:Temperature D014735:Vibrio Infections D014736:Vibrio parahaemolyticus D041261:Vibrio vulnificus D014768:Virginia
high salinity relaying Vibrio Oyster seafood safety