Microbiological Safety and Quality of Processed Shrimps and Fishes - Aquaculture Microbiology and Biotechnology - page 76

Among 95% Vibrio isolates for which the species was identifi ed, 64% were
V. parahaemolyticus , and 12% were V. vulnifi cus . (CDC, 2008).
Seafood-borne illness data for Japan are published annually by the
Ministry of Health and Welfare, as part of the annual statistics for all food-
borne illnesses. The number of incidents (outbreaks), patients (cases), and
deaths are recorded (MHLW, 2008).
Categories reported by the Japanese data collection system are shellfi sh,
swellfi sh (puffer fi sh) and others, fi sh paste and other products of fi sh and
shellfi sh. Among the reported outbreaks, 65% of the outbreaks in Japan
from 2003 to 2007 were seafood borne resulting in 1,158 cases, 14,159
patients, and 11 deaths ( Table 4.3 ) . About 35% deaths occurred only with
shellfi sh and puffer fi sh during the 5-yr period ( Table 4.3 and 4.4 ). Total
food-borne outbreaks from 2003 to 2008 numbered 7,576 resulting in
147,052 cases.

Table 4.3 Summary of the number of total foodborne and seafood-borne illness outbreaks
and cases in Japan, 2003 to 2007

Year Cases Patients Death

Total Food Total seafood Total Food Total seafood Total Food Total seafood

borne borne borne borne borne borne

2003 1, 585 285 29, 355 3, 889 6 3

2004 1, 666 304 28, 175 2, 894 5 2

2005 1, 545 243 17, 019 2, 926 7 2

2006 1, 491 168 39, 026 1, 708 6 1

2007 1, 289 158 33, 477 2, 742 7 3

Source: Derived from (Ministry of Health and Welfare of Japan, 2008).

When the cause of the food-borne illness is known, 15% of the outbreaks
are from fi sh and shellfi sh sources resulting in 9% of the cases. Thirty
fi ve percent of food-borne illness deaths in Japan are from fi sh, shellfi sh
and products of fi sh and shellfi sh ( Table 4.4 ) . For fi sh and shellfi sh, most
illnesses caused by bacteria are from Vibrio parahaemolyticus at 75% of
bacterial disease cases. Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and
Clostridium perfringens are the other major sources of illness. For products
of fi sh and shellfi sh, the same fi ve bacteria are the leading causes of illness
but the distribution of cases among the bacteria is more evenly spread.
Natural poisons and chemical substances rank six and seven among both
fi sh and shellfi sh-borne diseases and fi sh and shellfi sh product-borne
illnesses (MHLW, 2008).
Seafood-borne disease and illness reported by each reporting area or
system represent the minimum number of actual seafood-borne cases that
occur. It is very likely that many seafood-borne illnesses (like all food-
borne illnesses) are either not reported by the patient or recognized as a
food-borne illness. However, these data collection agencies provide only
reliable sets of data available (MHLW, 2008).