Vibrio Infections

Several Vibrio species are known to cause vibriosis in humans and can be found naturally in the coastal sea waters of the United States and Canada. The bacteria are halophilic, meaning they require salt to survive and can be found in higher concentrations in the warmer months of the year. Vibrio species can cause gastrointestinal illness in humans and people can become infected by eating raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters. Vibrio species can also cause an infection of the skin when an open wound is exposed to warm seawater.

In Texas, all species of Vibrio except toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1 or O139 (Cholera) are classified for reporting purposes as general Vibriosis illnesses and subclassified into the following: Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio vulnificus, and Vibriosis, other or unspecified. Click on the links below for more information.

• Cholera (toxigenic Vibrio cholerae 01 or 0139)   
• Vibrio parahaemolyticus 
• Vibrio vulnificus
• Other Vibrio infections