Public health aspects of spp. related to the consumption of seafood in the EU.

, and non-O1/non-O139 are the spp. of highest relevance for public health in the EU through seafood consumption. Infection with is associated with the haemolysins thermostable direct haemolysin (TDH) and TDH-related haemolysin (TRH) and mainly leads to acute gastroenteritis. infections can lead to sepsis and death in susceptible individuals. non-O1/non-O139 can cause mild gastroenteritis or lead to severe infections, including sepsis, in susceptible individuals. The pooled prevalence estimate in seafood is 19.6% (95% CI 13.7-27.4), 6.1% (95% CI 3.0-11.8) and 4.1% (95% CI 2.4-6.9) for , and non-choleragenic , respectively. Approximately one out of five -positive samples contain pathogenic strains. A large spectrum of antimicrobial resistances, some of which are intrinsic, has been found in vibrios isolated from seafood or food-borne infections in Europe. Genes conferring resistance to medically important antimicrobials and associated with mobile genetic elements are increasingly detected in vibrios. Temperature and salinity are the most relevant drivers for abundance in the aquatic environment. It is anticipated that the occurrence and levels of the relevant spp. in seafood will increase in response to coastal warming and extreme weather events, especially in low-salinity/brackish waters. While some measures, like high-pressure processing, irradiation or depuration reduce the levels of spp. in seafood, maintaining the cold chain is important to prevent their growth. Available risk assessments addressed in various types of seafood and in raw oysters and octopus. A quantitative microbiological risk assessment relevant in an EU context would be in bivalve molluscs (oysters), evaluating the effect of mitigations, especially in a climate change scenario. Knowledge gaps related to spp. in seafood and aquatic environments are identified and future research needs are prioritised.