Development of a Matrix Tool for the Prediction of Vibrio Species in Oysters Harvested from North Carolina |
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| Authors: | B A Froelich M Ayrapetyan P Fowler J D Oliver R T Noble |
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| Institution: | aThe University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Institute of Marine Sciences, Morehead City, North Carolina, USA;bThe University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA;cThe North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Marine Fisheries, Morehead City, North Carolina, USA;dMarine Laboratory, Duke University, Beaufort, North Carolina, USA |
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| Abstract: | The United States has federal regulations in place to reduce the risk of seafood-related infection caused by the estuarine bacteria Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. However, data to support the development of regulations have been generated in a very few specific regions of the nation. More regionally specific data are needed to further understand the dynamics of human infection relating to shellfish-harvesting conditions in other areas. In this study, oysters and water were collected from four oyster harvest sites in North Carolina over an 11-month period. Samples were analyzed for the abundances of total Vibrio spp., V. vulnificus, and V. parahaemolyticus; environmental parameters, including salinity, water temperature, wind velocity, and precipitation, were also measured simultaneously. By utilizing these data, preliminary predictive management tools for estimating the abundance of V. vulnificus bacteria in shellfish were developed. This work highlights the need for further research to elucidate the full suite of factors that drive V. parahaemolyticus abundance. |
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