Genomics of Vibrio parahaemolyticus from northern Australia reflect a marine organism with few geographical barriers, high genomic plasticity and an outbreak-associated pathogenicity island

This study investigates the genomic diversity of environmental and clinical Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates from the wet-dry tropics of northern Australia, showcasing a lack of spatial structuring and significant genomic intermixing with Asian and South American strains. Reflecting its marine nature with few geographical barriers, V. parahaemolyticus demonstrates high genetic flow possibly enhanced by human activities like shipping. The analysis revealed long-range dispersal of strains and highlighted substantial genomic plasticity, with diverse accessory genes allowing adaptation to various environments. The study found pathogenic islands, plasmids and antibiotic resistance genes dispersed across strains, underlining the potential of V. parahaemolyticus as a reservoir for antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes. Emphasizing the necessity for comprehensive surveillance, this work contributes to understanding V. parahaemolyticus ecology amid a changing climate, and expanding genomic databases beyond known outbreak strains.