[Distribution of Pathogenic Vibrio spp. and Analysis of the Environmental Factors Affecting Their Occurrence in the Aquatic Environment of Republic of Korea, 2023].

Vibrio spp. are water and foodborne pathogens for humans. In 2023, the Division of Laboratory Diagnosis Analysis, Honam Regional Center for Disease Control and Prevention, analyzed the distribution of pathogenic Vibrio spp. in the aquatic environment in the Republic of Korea and determined the correlation with aquatic environmental factors. Among the 1,511 seawater samples, V. vulnificus and V. parahaemolyticus were detected at high rates (35.1% and 72.8%, respectively), and V. cholerae was detected in 16.1%, all of which were confirmed to be non-pathogenic (non-O1, non-O139) serotypes. Additionally, it was confirmed that pathogenic Vibrio spp. were highly correlated with seawater temperature, atmospheric temperature, and salinity. If seawater temperature rises and low-salinity environments continue due to climate change, the occurrence of pathogenic Vibrio spp. is expected to increase, highlighting the importance of monitoring pathogenic Vibrio spp. in the aquatic environment. In the future, our department will strengthen surveillance by expanding the surveillance period and increase sampling locations and will continue to analyze the characteristics of pathogenic Vibrio spp. and their correlation with aquatic environmental factors.