Abstract:
Objective To analyze the epidemiological and etiological characteristics of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Longwan district of Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, 2014−2024, and provide evidence for the prevention and control of foodborne diseases caused by V. parahaemolyticus.
Methods In the foodborne disease surveillance from 2014 to 2024, fecal samples were collected from diarrhea cases with suspected food exposures in Longwan, the isolation and identification, serological typing, and virulence gene detection of V. parahaemolyticus were conducted, and the epidemiological characteristics of V. parahaemolyticus infection were analyzed. Software SPSS 25.0 was used for data process, and χ2 test was used for statistical analysis.
Results In 3 623 samples, 276 strains of V. parahaemolyticus were isolated (7.62%). The annual detection rate increased gradually from February, peaked in September (15.82%), and then decreased. The infection cases occurred in both men and women, the highest incidence rate was observed in young adults. The infection cases were reported in all communities. A total of 9 O serogroups and 22 K serotypes of V. parahaemolyticus were identified, in which O3:K6 was predominant (29.35%). From 2015 to 2016, the predominant serotype was O4:KUT. From 2017 to 2020, the predominant serotype was O3:K6. In 2020, serotype O10:K4 emerged and became predominant during 2021 - 2024. All the strains were positive for thermolabile hemolysin (TLH) encoding gene tlh, and 96.74% of the strains were positive for thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH) encoding gene tdh, and 2.54% of the strains were positive for TDH-related hemolysin (TRH) encoding gene trh.
Conclusion The incidence of V. parahaemolyticus infection in Longwan showed distinct seasonality and age-specific population distribution. Additionally, the local strains exhibited serotype diversity and specific virulence gene distribution. Continuous surveillance for the temporal dynamics of serotypes and virulence genes are of critical importance for the effective prevention and control of V. parahaemolyticus infection.