Vibriosis, 2019

There were 34 culture-confirmed Vibrio spp. cases reported in 2019 (0.57 cases per 100,000 population). This is a 15% decrease from the 40 cases reported in 2018, and a 70% increase from the median annual number of cases reported from 2008 to 2018 (median, 20 cases; range, 8 to 40). V. parahaemolyticus accounted for 18 (53%) cases, V. cholerae 11 (33%), V. alginolyticus 1 (3%), V. cincinnatiensis 1 (3%), V. furnissii 1 (3%), V. metschnikovi 1 (3%), and V. vulnificus 1 (3%). Serotyping was performed on an all V. cholerae specimens; 7 (63%) cases were non-O1/non-O139, 3 (27%) cases were O1 Inaba toxigenic, and 1 .9%) was O1 Inaba non-toxigenic.

Vibrio was isolated from stool in 29 (85%) cases, wounds or tissue in 3 (9%) cases, and blood in 2 (6%) cases. Six (18%) cases were hospitalized for a median duration of 2.5 days (range, 2 to 15 days). Two (5%) cases died (a 55 year-old and a 93 year-old). The first case had V. vulnificus isolated from a blood specimen and had chronic liver disease. The other had V. metschnikovi isolated from a blood specimen, and had chronic liver, kidney disease, and cancer.

Travel history was available for 33 cases. Nineteen (58%) cases traveled out of Minnesota in the week before symptom onset, including 10 (30%) who traveled internationally.

Of the 26 cases with Vibrio isolated from the stool who were able to be interviewed about exposure to seafood in the week before illness onset, 18 (69%) reported consuming raw oysters; an additional 3 (11%) reported eating another type of seafood, and 2 of those reported eating raw seafood. The 5 remaining cases with no seafood consumption traveled internationally in the week prior to illness onset to the Dominican Republic, Kenya, Mexico, Pakistan, and Panama.

In 2019, 64 patients were positive by culture-independent diagnostic tests conducted at a clinical laboratory. Thirty-two (56%) of the specimens received at MDH tested negative by culture and therefore were classified as probable cases.

Three (10%) of 31 probable cases traveled internationally. Among the 29 probable cases interviewed about food exposures, 4 (14%) reported eating raw oysters, and 17 (59%) reported eating another type of cooked seafood in the week prior to illness onset.

There was one outbreak of V. parahaemolyticus identified in 2019. The outbreak was associated with consumption of raw oysters at a restaurant. One culture-confirmed case and 3 probable cases who were not tested were part of this outbreak. The oysters consumed were harvested from the Hammersley Inlet in Washington State. This harvest area was closed in response to multiple outbreaks of V. parahaemolyticus across the country, including this one.

• Find up to date information at>> Vibrio Infection (Vibrio parahaemolyticus)
• Full issue>> Annual Summary of Communicable Diseases Reported to the Minnesota Department of Health, 2019