GRANT
NUMBER:
NA77FD0079
NMFS NUMBER:
96-SER-067
REPORT
TITLE:
Critical
Control Limits, Infective Dose, and Prevalence of Pathogenic
Vibrio Species in Shellfish Products
AUTHOR:
Tamplin,
Mark
PUBLISH
DATE:
January 22, 1999
AVAILABLE
FROM: National
Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Region, 9721 Executive
Center Drive, St Petersburg, FL 33702. TELEPHONE:
(813) 570-5324
ABSTRACT
This study
was directed at finding the infective dose from shellfish,
for humans, of the pathogenic bacteria Vibrio vulnificus
and to establish the controls that have the greatest effect
on maintaining V. vulnificus at safe levels in
seafood. The research found that concentrations of V.
vulnificus in oysters associated with human disease
were typically greater than 1,000 cells per gram of shellfish
meat. It was also learned that the level of concentration
of V. vulnificus is related to air temperature.
The Interim Control Plan (ICP) adopted by the Interstate
Shellfish Sanitation Conference was utilized to determine
its effectiveness. The ICP minimizes the the time harvested
shellfish are exposed to elevated temperatures. It was
found that oysters handled according to the ICP had significantly
lower levels of V. vulnificus.
