The Isolation and Identification of Vibrio Species in Marine Shrimps of Sri Lanka

Vibrios are the most common genera associated with crustaceans often causing significant economic losses. Many Vibrio species are pathogenic to human and have been implicated in food borne diseases. Shrimp samples were collected from Mutwal and Chilaw landing sites over a 3 months period (March - May 2007) in order to investigate Vibrio species in the marine environment. Vibrio species from shrimp muscle and brain fluid were isolated and identified at species level using thiosulfate-citrate-bile saltsucrose agar and the designed biochemical key. A total of 159 were isolated and undergone seven biochemical tests shown in the biochemical key. Accordingly, in family Vibrionaceae, twelve species such as, A.hydrophila, V.cholerae, V. metschnikovii, V.parahaemolyticus, V.carchariae or V.harveyi, P.shigelloides, V.vulnificus, V.damsela, V.mimicus, V.furnissii or V.fluvialis were isolated and identified. Among them A.hydrophila, V.parahaemolyticus, V.carchariae or V.harveyi and P.shigelloides species were predominantly present in both locations. V.cholerae and V.metschnikovii most probably present in the two landing sites Chilaw and Mutwal in west and north west coast of Sri Lanka.

Keywords: Biochemical key, Isolation; Marineshrimps; Vibrio spp.

DOI: 10.4038/jfa.v1i1.1838

Journal of Food and Agriculture Vol.1(1) 2008 pp.36-44