弧菌属是革兰氏阴性菌的一种，属兼性厌氧菌。弧菌属多存在于水中，其中有许多种类具有致病性，例如：创伤弧菌、霍乱弧菌及肠炎弧菌等等。在型态上，弧菌呈直杆或弯曲的短杆状，其大小约为1.4~2.6μm × 0.3~0.5μm；不形成内孢子，藉一或多根极鞭毛运动。弧菌需借由钠离子刺激成长，且为绝对必须性。此外弧菌对化合物2,4-diamino-6,7-diisopropylpteridine phosphate(0/129)具感受性，DNAmol% G+C 38~51。弧菌在自然环境中，普遍存在于海洋、河口与水生生物体；其中许多弧菌不但为鱼虾贝类的病原菌株，有些甚至对人类亦具致病性。

Vibrio is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria, possessing a curved-rod shape (comma shape), several species of which can cause foodborne infection, usually associated with eating undercooked seafood. Typically found in salt water, Vibrio species are facultative anaerobes that test positive for oxidase and do not form spores. All members of the genus are motile and have polar flagella with sheaths. Recent phylogenies have been constructed based on a suite of genes (multilocus sequence analysis).