Vibrio ranks very high as a human public health hazard, amongst the bacterial species as well as a contaminant in marine foods and food products. They are also considered to be one of the dreaded organisms causing a variety of diseases thereby creating havoc in both fresh water as well as in the marine environment. Seven different Vibrio spp. namely
V. parahaemolyticus, V. diazotrophicus, V. alginolyticus, V. nereis, V. fluvialis, V. cholerae, V. vulnificus were isolated from the coastal waters of Bay of Bengal at Orissa coast. The antibiogram patterns of these seven different marine vibrio strains were studied. A degree of multiple antibiotic resistance was observed among the strains. Further due to mounting drug resistance by the microbes to the antibiotics these organisms were screened for the suceptibility towards six essential oils (Turmeric leaf oil, Turmeric rhizome oil, Carrot seed oil, Celery seed oil, Japanese mint leaf oil and Ginger rhizome oil). The essential oils showed vibriocidal activity at a very low concentrations and being natural in origin is suggestive for their use as natural preservatives for marine foods against costly, harmful, mutagenic/carcinogenic chemical preservatives.
Marine Vibrios, Antibiogram, Essential oils
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