What type of illness does Vibrio parahaemolyticus cause?
This bacteria can make people sick in two ways. If it enters an opening in the skin, it can cause a serious skin infection. This usually happens when a person with a cut or abrasion swims or fishes in seawater containing a high number of these bacteria. The bacteria can also cause diarrhea in people who eat contaminated seafood. When this happens, the person usually only gets mildly or moderately sick, although some people may become sick enough to be hospitalized. The patient may have symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, headache, fever, and chills. The illness lasts from 1-7 days, and usually begins within 12 and 24 hours of eating contaminated seafood, but can range from 4 to 30 hours.
