Occurrence of <i>Vibrio parahaemolyticus</i> in Two Oregon Oyster‐growing Bays

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Occurrence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in 2 Oregon oyster‐growing areas (Yaquina andTillamook Bays) was studied from November 2002 to October 2003. Vibrio parahaemolyticus was detected in 15.0% of oyster, 20.0% of seawater, and 47.5% of sediment samples with very low levels of pathogenic strains being detected in oysters (≤3.6 most probable number [MPN] /g). The densities of total and pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus were higher in sediment (≤1100 and ≤43 MPN/g) than in seawater (≤15 and ≤3.6 MPN/100 mL) or oyster (≤43 and ≤3.6 MPN/ g). Densities of V. parahaemolyticus in both bays were positively correlated to water temperatures ( P &lt; 0.01), with higher densities in samples being detected in summer, especially July and August. There was no correlation between the densities of V. parahaemolyticus and water salinity or the densities of V. parahaemolyticus and bacterial populations in seawater. Freshly harvested oysters should be kept at refrigeration temperatures to prevent rapid growth of pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus in contaminated oysters.