Vibrio surveillance in Mauritius

Global warming due to anthropogenic climate change is undoubtedly occurring, as evidenced by the worldwide increase in average air and ocean temperatures and the rise in average sea level. Epidemiological studies have established the etiological role of marine bacteria belonging to the Vibrio genus in foodborne diseases and recreational water illnesses. Given the ecological preference of Vibrio species for warm brackish waters, it is important to understand how the pathogen responds to current, short-term predicted and long-term projected trends in temperature and salinity patterns. This project investigates the species diversity, prevalence rate and levels of occurrence of Vibrio species encountered in seawater, finfish and shellfish at different sites along the shoreline of Mauritius island over a period of 18 months.