The distribution of Vibrio parahaemolyticus serotypes in Kenyan seafish, shellfish, marine water and sediment.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus was recovered from 74 of 912 marine samples screened for the organism. Of 74 isolates of V. parahaemolyticus obtained from marine fish, crustacean shellfish (prawns, lobster, crabs), and molluscan shellfish (oysters), and from water and sediment collected off the coast of Kenya, only 33 were positively identified. The isolates were only from seafish and shellfish. The main serotypes were 0,3:K37; 0,3:K40; 0,8:39; 0,10:23; 0,10:K52; and 0,11:K40. All the serotypes were Kanagawa-negative. The rest of the samples, mainly marine sediment and water, revealed what was described as untypable Vibrios. This is the first report of the organism in this part of the world where no clinical disease is reported.