Occurrence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and related hemolytic vibrios in marine environments of Washington State.

Samples of sediment, water, and fauna were tested for the presence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and the related biotype V. alginolyticus. Altogether, 379 samples were analyzed quantitatively by using a starch-agar medium. Invertebrate and sediment samples were invariably positive for V. parahaemolyticus, whereas water samples were quite variable. Samples of the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas), obtained on a regular basis for 26 months from a single environment, showed a close correlation between total numbers of mesophilic vibrios and the overlying water temperature; the seasonal counts of oysters ranged from less than 10 to greater than 100,000 per g. Ecological implications and possible pathogenicity of these vibrios are discussed.