Resuscitation of viable but non-culturableVibrio parahaemolyticusin a minimum salt medium

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is food-;borne pathogen prevalent in Asian countries. This work analyzes factors that influence the resuscitation of the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state in this bacterium. The MMS-;0.5% NaCl medium alone limited cell multiplication, and in this medium, resuscitation was successful when the temperature was upshifted to 25 °C but not 37 °C. Chloramphenicol inhibition experiments revealed that protein synthesis in the first 24 h of temperature upshift was critical in determining the success of the three-;day resuscitation period. The VBNC state induction period and the age of the VBNC cells for successful resuscitation were strain-;dependent. Results of this work facilitate further physiological and pathological study of the VBNC state in this pathogen.