[Pathogenic Vibrios in oysters (Crassostrea rhizophorae) served at restaurants in Rio de Janeiro: a public health warning].

Forty oyster samples (Crassostrea rhizophorae) served raw in 15 restaurants in the city of Rio de Janeiro were evaluated in order to investigate the presence of Vibrio spp. The oyster samples were analyzed and subjected to enrichment in alkaline peptone water with the addition of 1 and 3% NaCl and incubated at 37 degrees C for 24 hours. Following this, the cultures were seeded onto thiosulfate citrate bile sucrose agar (TCBS) and the suspected colonies were subjected to biochemical characterization. Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio carchariae, Vibrio alginolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus were the main species (> 60%) isolated from raw oysters.