The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Vibrio spp.in shellfish using the
traditionalculture and multiplex PCR methods. This study was conducted on 40 samples of shrimp and crab
(20 samples of each). The prevalence of Vibrio parahemoluticusin the examined shrimp and crab samples was
foundto be 20 and 30% by traditional culture method and 70 and 50% by m-PCR method, respectively, while
theprevalence of Vibrio mimicusin the examined shrimp and crab samples was found to be 25 and 5% by
m-PCRmethod, respectively and failed to be detected in all the examined samples by culture method.
Vibriovulnificusand Vibrio cholerae failed to be detected in all the examined samples by both methods.
The m-PCR procedure, which usedfive primers, produced specific amplicons of the expected sizes from mixed
populationsof Vibrio spp.in shellfish samples and from pure cultures. Overall, results of the present study
indicated that the m-PCR is a potential technique for simple, rapid and reliable detection of the major Vibrio spp.
for routine monitoring and risk assessment of shellfish