Vibrio bacteria are most commonly associated with foods containing seafood.
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is the species most commonly reported as a cause of foodborne disease; it generally causes watery diarrhoea and abdominal pain lasting one to seven days and commonly follows consumption of improperly handled cold seafood salads. Vibrio vulnificus is one of the more serious foodborne pathogens, with a case fatality rate that exceeds 50 percent of infected people.
Most cases of foodborne Vibrio vulnificus infections occur in persons with underlying illnesses (particularly liver disorders) who eat raw molluscs.