Abstract Description

Seafood remains an important source of nutrition worldwide, yet it also poses risks as a carrier of foodborne pathogens, especially Vibrio species. These bacteria, including Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus, are of growing concern because they cause severe gastroenteritis, wound infections, and septicemia, and their prevalence is often influenced by factors such as rising water temperatures, pollution, and poor handling practices. Hence, this study sought to evaluate the presence of Vibrio pathogens in commercial fish sold at major retailers in the Raymond Mhlaba Region of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Standard bacteriological culture-based isolation methods and molecular techniques were used to isolate and confirm Vibrio species recovered from commercial fish specimens. Subsequently, the confirmed Vibrio isolates were further subjected to antimicrobial resistance fingerprinting to determine their antibiotic resistance profiles. A total of 42 Vibrio isolates were then recovered, with 21.4% V. parahaemolyticus and 9.5% V. vulnificus being the dominant pathogenic species. Most recovered isolates showed high sensitivity to imipenem (97.4%) and gentamicin (84.6%), while notable resistance was observed against erythromycin (74.4%) and nitrofurantoin (61.5%). Moreover, molecular analysis revealed the presence of the blaTEM gene in 28.2% of cefotaxime-resistant strains and mcr-1 gene in 14% colistin-resistant isolates. These findings emphasize the urgent need for enhanced monitoring of seafood safety, improved retail hygiene standards, and greater awareness of safe food handling practices within local communities in the Raymond Mhlaba Region. More broadly, the results highlight how antimicrobial resistance in aquatic pathogens, is not only a food safety issue but also a pressing public health challenge, underscoring the need for integrated approaches that connect environmental management, food security, and antibiotic stewardship to protect vulnerable populations.