Short communicationMismatch between antimicrobial resistance phenotype and genotype of pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from seafood

•Low-levels of resistance were observed in V. parahaemolyticus isolates.•Isolates with tdh displayed higher resistant rates than isolates with trh.•Susceptibility isolates might be a risk source for transfer of resistance genes.•Mismatch between antimicrobial resistance phenotype and genotype was found.

Antimicrobial resistance phenotypes (18 antimicrobials; disk diffusion method) and genotypes (38 antimicrobial resistance genes; PCR) of 20 pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains isolated from seafood in Shanghai wholesale markets between 2009 and 2013 were evaluated. Seventeen isolates (85%) were resistant to one or more antimicrobials, and highest resistance was observed to ampicillin (85%) and cephazolin (30%). And the isolates with tdh displayed higher resistant rates than isolates with trh. Eight antimicrobial resistance genes (strB, aadA2, strA, tetA, floR, sulI, sulII, and sulIII) were detected in these isolates. Surprisingly, the antimicrobial resistance phenotypes and genotypes of these isolates were not consistent: some isolates were resistant to β-lactam or aminoglycoside, whereas the corresponding genes were negative. Comparatively, aminoglycoside, tetracycline and chloramphenicol resistance genes occurred in susceptibility isolates. This research reveals the mismatch phenomenon between the antimicrobial resistance phenotype and genotype of seafood-derived pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus, and that susceptibility isolates might be a potential risk source for storage and transmission of resistance genes.