Vibrio parahaemolyticus in a Changing World: A One Health Perspective on Epidemiology, Antimicrobial Resistance, Virulence, and Climate-Driven Risks.
9 affiliations
- 1Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Universidad de Caldas, Manizales 170004, Caldas, Colombia.
- 2College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea.
- 3Grupo de Investigación en Producción y Salud Animal (GIPSA), Universidad de La Amazonía, Florencia 180001, Caquetá, Colombia.
- 4Grupo de Virologia, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá DC 110121, Colombia.
- 5Instituto de Investigaciones One Health, Universidad Tecnológica Centroamericana (UNITEC), Tegucigalpa 11101, Honduras.
- 6Fundación para la Conservación de la Biodiversidad Acuática y Terrestre de Ecuador (FUCOBI), Quito EC1701, Ecuador.
- 7Environmental Genomics Inc., ONE HEALTH Epigenomics Educational Initiative, P.O. Box 196, Southborough, MA 01772, USA.
- 8Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima 15046, Peru.
- 9Grupo de Investigación Biomedicina, Faculty of Medicine, Fundación Universitaria Autónoma de las Américas-Institución Universitaria Visión de las Américas, Pereira 600003, Risaralda, Colombia.
Abstract
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a halophilic, Gram-negative bacterium widely distributed in marine and estuarine environments and recognized as a leading cause of seafood-associated gastroenteritis worldwide. In recent decades, its global emergence has been driven by environmental changes, particularly ocean warming, as well as intensified aquaculture and the globalization of seafood trade. Representative epidemiological data illustrate this burden: V. parahaemolyticus was detected in 3.11% of 79,075 diarrheal samples across 11 Chinese provinces and in 8.1% of 6951 acute-diarrhea samples in eastern China, while Zhejiang Province documented 383 outbreaks involving 4382 cases between 2010 and 2022. This narrative review provides a comprehensive overview of the epidemiology, virulence factors, antimicrobial resistance, and One Health dimensions of V. parahaemolyticus. The pathogen's ability to cause disease in humans largely depends on key virulence determinants, including thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH), TDH-related hemolysin (TRH), and secretion systems that facilitate host colonization and cytotoxicity. From a One Health perspective, V. parahaemolyticus represents a critical interface among environmental, animal, and human health, and also causes severe diseases in aquaculture, including acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) and translucent postlarval disease (TPD) in shrimp, as well as vibriosis in bivalve mollusks such as oysters, where infection may result in tissue damage and substantial larval and juvenile mortality, with important economic consequences. The increasing emergence of antimicrobial-resistant strains further complicates clinical management and highlights the role of environmental reservoirs and aquaculture practices in disseminating resistance. Additionally, climate-driven changes in temperature, salinity, and marine ecosystems are expanding this pathogen's geographic distribution and altering its seasonal dynamics. Strengthening integrated surveillance systems, improving food safety practices, and promoting interdisciplinary research, including studies of the molecular mechanisms underlying interactions between the epigenome and V. parahaemolyticus, are essential to mitigate the growing risks associated with V. parahaemolyticus. A comprehensive One Health approach is critical to address its evolving impact on global public health and food security.
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BibTeX
@article{sanchezrojas2026vibrio,
title = {{Vibrio parahaemolyticus in a Changing World: A One Health Perspective on Epidemiology, Antimicrobial Resistance, Virulence, and Climate-Driven Risks.}},
author = {Ivan Camilo Sanchez-Rojas and D Katterine Bonilla-Aldana and Catherin Lorena Solarte-Jimenez and Jorge Luis Bonilla-Aldana and Lysien I Zambrano and Acacia Alcivar-Warren and Alfonso J Rodriguez-Morales},
journal = {Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/pathogens15101010},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42931162},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Vibrio parahaemolyticus in a Changing World: A One Health Perspective on Epidemiology, Antimicrobial Resistance, Virulence, and Climate-Driven Risks.
AU - Ivan Camilo Sanchez-Rojas
AU - D Katterine Bonilla-Aldana
AU - Catherin Lorena Solarte-Jimenez
AU - Jorge Luis Bonilla-Aldana
AU - Lysien I Zambrano
AU - Acacia Alcivar-Warren
AU - Alfonso J Rodriguez-Morales
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/24
JO - Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)
DO - 10.3390/pathogens15101010
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42931162
AB - Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a halophilic, Gram-negative bacterium widely distributed in marine and estuarine environments and recognized as a leading cause of seafood-associated gastroenteritis worldwide. In recent decades, its global emergence has been driven by environmental changes, particularly ocean warming, as well as intensified aquaculture and the globalization of seafood trade. Representative epidemiological data illustrate this burden: V. parahaemolyticus was detected in 3.11% of 79,075 diarrheal samples across 11 Chinese provinces and in 8.1% of 6951 acute-diarrhea samples in eastern China, while Zhejiang Province documented 383 outbreaks involving 4382 cases between 2010 and 2022. This narrative review provides a comprehensive overview of the epidemiology, virulence factors, antimicrobial resistance, and One Health dimensions of V. parahaemolyticus. The pathogen's ability to cause disease in humans largely depends on key virulence determinants, including thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH), TDH-related hemolysin (TRH), and secretion systems that facilitate host colonization and cytotoxicity. From a One Health perspective, V. parahaemolyticus represents a critical interface among environmental, animal, and human health, and also causes severe diseases in aquaculture, including acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) and translucent postlarval disease (TPD) in shrimp, as well as vibriosis in bivalve mollusks such as oysters, where infection may result in tissue damage and substantial larval and juvenile mortality, with important economic consequences. The increasing emergence of antimicrobial-resistant strains further complicates clinical management and highlights the role of environmental reservoirs and aquaculture practices in disseminating resistance. Additionally, climate-driven changes in temperature, salinity, and marine ecosystems are expanding this pathogen's geographic distribution and altering its seasonal dynamics. Strengthening integrated surveillance systems, improving food safety practices, and promoting interdisciplinary research, including studies of the molecular mechanisms underlying interactions between the epigenome and V. parahaemolyticus, are essential to mitigate the growing risks associated with V. parahaemolyticus. A comprehensive One Health approach is critical to address its evolving impact on global public health and food security.
SN - 2076-0817
ER -