After 10-fold dilution to a proper concentration with sterile
physiological saline, samples (100 mL) were plated in triplicate onto
Thiosulphate citrate bilesalt sucrose (TCBS) Agar plates (Land
Bridge Technology, Beijing, China) and incubated at 37 C for 24 h to
obtain the total presumptive V. parahaemolyticus counts (TPVPC).
Simultaneously, samples (100 mL) were plated in triplicate onto
LuriaeBertani (LB) plates to obtain the total viable bacterial
numbers. To explore the distribution of V. parahaemolyticus in
different oyster tissues, oyster samples were divided into three
parts according to our previous reports: the gills (G), digestive
glands (D; including stomach, and digestive diverticula) and residual
tissues (O) (Wang, Yu, Chen, Zhang, & Shi, 2010; Wang,
Zhang, Chen, Yu, & Shi, 2010; Wang, Zhang, Cui, & Shi, 2014). The
three parts of oyster samples were enumerated separately. After
direct plate counts, samples were stored at 80 C until further use.