Food Safety in the Production and Consumption of Fish: The Case of Vibrio Vulnificus

Foodborne Diseases (FD) constitute a major global public health challenge due to their incidence and related mortality. Bacteria are frequently related to the generation of FD outbreaks. Fish is a highly nutritious food that is marketed and consumed globally. However, they are also susceptible to deterioration and contamination due to biological hazards related to unsanitary conditions and practices occurring throughout the food chain. Vibrio vulnificus is considered a human pathogen related to diseases and is transmitted by manipulation and consumption of aquatic foods, mainly in the raw state. This microorganism is also a fish pathogen that generates epizootics in culture with consequent economic losses and risks to human health due to transfer in the food chain. Aquaculture is a source of food such as fish that has grown over the years, becoming an important form of subsistence worldwide. Tilapia is an aquaculture species that, depending on culture conditions, may be at risk of V. vulnificus infections that would generate negative effects on animal health and compromise food safety. Therefore, the purpose of this document is to provide a general perspective on diseases transmitted by the food of aquatic origin derived from the handling and consumption of fish, specifically tilapia and whose causal agent is V. vulnificus. The metabolic, ecological, isolation, and identification characteristics of this pathogen are pointed out, in addition to the various actions to control and prevent negative impacts on public health due to this biological hazard in foods of aquatic origin.