An individual experiences diarrhoea after eating raw shellfish. What is the most probable cause of the problem?
High-Yield Explanation
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a halophilic bacterium that causes acute gastroenteritis following ingestion of contaminated seafood such as raw fish or shellfish. After 12-24 hours, the patient develops nausea and vomiting, abdominal cramps, fever, and watery to bloody diarrhoea. It is usually self-limited in 1-4 days, requiring only restoration of water and electrolytes. All other answer options could produce episodes of gastroenteritis, but the halophilic nature of V. parahaemolyticus and seafood is recognized as a classic combination.