TABLE 5.

Regional and seasonal estimates of mean log Vibrio densities in retail oysters harvested from different coastal areas

Target/method	Season	Mean log Vibrio density (MPN/g)a
		Gulf	Mid-Atlantic	North Atlantic	Pacific
vvh/DNA probe	Winter	−1.25†	−1.21†‡	−3.60 A§	−2.89 A‡§
	Spring	3.00 A	0.44 A	−1.32 A†	−1.22 AB†
	Summer	4.49†	3.85†	0.87‡	−0.48 BC‡
	Fall	2.56 A	1.47 A	−2.19 A†	−2.06 AC†
tlh/DNA probe	Winter	0.06	−1.53		−3.43
	Spring	2.57 A	−0.12	−4.11	−1.52 A
	Summer	4.36†	3.45 A†‡	1.77§	2.45‡§
	Fall	2.85 A†	2.91 A†	−0.69‡	−1.50 A‡
tlh/PCR	Winter	0.46	−1.38†		−1.74 A†
	Spring	3.25 A	0.51†	−2.29	−0.57 A†
	Summer	4.86†	4.01†‡	1.71§	2.86‡§
	Fall	3.44 A†	2.65†	−0.32‡	−1.10 A‡
tdh/PCR	Winter	−2.84†	−5.50		−2.67 AB†
	Spring	−0.66 A†	−1.96 A†‡	−3.95 A‡	−3.81 A‡
	Summer	0.94†	0.62†	−1.57‡	−1.14 B‡
	Fall	−0.53 A†	−1.28 A†	−4.99 A‡	−3.54 A‡
trh/PCR	Winter	−2.88
	Spring	−0.48 A	−2.32 A†	−4.90 A†	−2.61 A†
	Summer	0.72†	0.86†	−0.39†	0.18†
	Fall	−0.73 A†	−1.07 A†	−2.33 A†‡	−4.29 A‡

^aRegion/season estimates for each target/method followed by the same letter (A, B, or C) within a column are not significantly different (P > 0.05). Region/season estimates for each target/method followed by the same symbol (†, ‡, or §) within a row are not significantly different (P > 0.05).