Vibrios are ubiquitous in aquatic environments. The outbreaks of vibriosis cause substantial economic losses to the mariculture industry and seriously threaten human life and health. Some vibrios can improve their survival and environmental persistence and spread across the ocean through interactions with phytoplankton and zooplankton. We describe the role and influencing factors of marine plankton as reservoirs of some vibrios and the plankton-associated transmission characteristics of vibrios upon climate change and human activities. Focuses are put on the unique roles and mechanisms of the specific structures, metabolic pathways, and secondary metabolites of vibrios in the interactions with plankton. Further research should focus on the molecular mechanism of interactions between plankton and vibrios and the mechanism of plankton-associated spreading of vibrios on the global scale. This review provides meaningful information for preventing and controlling the risk of plankton-associated transmission of vibrios.
