Abstract

In Chile Vibrio parahaemolyticus has been detected in 3 gastroenteritis outbreaks since 1998. The most recent outbreak occurred during the summer of 2005, affecting over 10.000 people of whom one died. Affected individuals presented with one or more of the following symptoms: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and/or fever. Fecal white blood cells were detected in only 6% of patients. The predominant serotype in the 3 outbreaks was the pandemic O3:K6 strain. Diagnosis was confirmed by isolation and identification of V. parahaemolyticus in stool cultures and/or by establishing an epidemiological link. V. parahaemolyticus isolates were 100% susceptible to tetracycline, ciprofloxacin and chloramphenicol, and universally resistant to ampicillin. Due to the public health impact of the 2005 outbreak, the Ministry of Health called for a National Task Force mandated to review epidemiological, clinical and microbiological features of the outbreak and to propose management guidelines.