Vibrio mimicus and Its Antimicrobial Resistance in Fish and Aquatic Environments

Abstract

Vibrio mimicus is an important bacterial pathogen occurring in brackish water and seawater habitats, and it is now emerging as an important cause of seafood-linked bacterial infections. V. mimicus infections have been documented in the United States as well as many tropical nations, including India, China, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Africa. There is an increasing concern that V. mimicus may delineate an important and increasing clinical issue in India in the future. Also, many factors underlie the requisite for a broader understanding of this pathogen within the Indian context. First, V. mimicus incidences are on the rise, and they tend to follow regional climatic patterns, with outbreaks peaking during the summer months. These reports are particularly alarming given current predictions of the warming of marine waters due to climate change. Besides, a variety of epidemiological causes, namely, rise in global seafood consumption and trade as well as an increase in the number of vulnerable populations eating seafood items, have been identified. Finally, comprehensive surveillance data is scarce on V. mimicus occurrence in fish and the marine ecosystem, which probably conceals the real therapeutic burden of certain diseases in humans and aquatic animals. This chapter deals with the highly publicized data on the antibiotic-resistant strains of V. mimicus that have been detected in food and the aquatic environment, as well as prospective regulatory strategies to reduce this antimicrobial resistance.