Isolation and Identification of Vibrio Spp. from Catfish (Arius heudelotii) Harvested from New Calabar River in Rivers State, Nigeria

This study was aimed at the isolation and identification of Vibrio spp. associated with Arius heudelotii, a catfish from a wild environment. Twenty-four Arius heudelotii (Catfish) were collected from the New Calabar River Choba, in Obio-Akpor LGA in Rivers State, Nigeria, and were processed to sample their skin, gills, and intestines. The Vibrio spp. associated with the gills, skins, and intestines of Arius heudelotii fish and water samples from the New Calabar River were isolated and identified. Ten Vibrio species (V. vulnificus, V. cholerae, V. parahaemolyticus, V. alginolyticus, V. mimicus, V. mytili, V. anguilarum, V. furnissii, V. diazotrophic, Alliivibrio fisheri, V. xuii and V. gazogenes) were isolated and presumptively identified based on the morphological and biochemical test. A total of 96 Vibrio species were isolated n=31 (32.4%), n=11 (11.5%), n=24 (25%), and n=30 (31.2%) for gills, skin, intestine, and water samples, respectively. Among the Vibrio species isolated V. parahaemolyticus 18.6%, was the most predominant, this was followed by V. Vulnificus 17.7%, V, Cholerae 14.6%, V. alginolyticus 11.6%, V. mimicus 8.3%, V. furnissii 7.3%, V. mytili 6.3%, V. anguilarum 6.3%, and Alliivibrio fisheri 6.3% and V. diazotrophic was the least predominant 3.1%. Vibrio organisms can be pathogenic. Therefore, it is important to investigate the presence of Vibrio spp. that are capable of causing sickness to humans and animals.