The Biology of Vibrio vulnificus

Abstract

Vibrio vulnificus, carrying a 50% fatality rate, is the most deadly of the foodborne pathogens. It occurs in estuarine and coastal waters and it is found in especially high numbers in oysters and other molluscan shellfish. The biology of V. vulnificus, including its ecology, pathogenesis, and molecular genetics, has been described in numerous reviews. This article provides a brief summary of some of the key aspects of this important human pathogen, including information on biotypes and genotypes, virulence factors, risk factor requirements and the role of iron in disease, association with oysters, geographic distribution, importance of salinity and water temperature, increasing incidence associated with global warming. This article includes some of our findings as presented at the

Role of Non-coding Regulatory RNA in the Virulence of Human Pathogenic Vibrios

“…Infections produced by this pathogen represent 95% of all deaths related to the consumption of seafood in the United States, with a mortality rate close to 50%. As a result, it is considered the most lethal food-transmitted pathogen in that country, and possibly in the world (Oliver, 2015). The main factor for its virulence is the presence of an antiphagocytic capsule (Thompson et al, 2004; Oliver, 2015).…”

“…As a result, it is considered the most lethal food-transmitted pathogen in that country, and possibly in the world (Oliver, 2015). The main factor for its virulence is the presence of an antiphagocytic capsule (Thompson et al, 2004; Oliver, 2015). Finally, a third bacterial pathogen associated with the consumption of partially cooked or raw seafood is V. parahaemolyticus (Raghunath, 2015).…”

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid Inhibits <b><i>Vibrio Vulnificus</i></b>-Induced Dendritic Cell Apoptosis by Lowering [Ca²⁺]_i

“…Therefore, the knowledge about how to make this bacterium successfully induce cell death may help better understand the virulence of this significant human pathogen. Accumulating evidence indicates that virulence factors of V. vulnificus are responsible for the remarkable disease process [2,18,[29][30][31][32], and many kinds of them induce the increase of [Ca 2+ ] i , suggesting that alternations in calcium levels contribute to cell death [33,34]. EDTA is used extensively as an anticoagulant for blood samples in blood biochemical analysis.…”

“…Infection with V. vulnificus leads to rapidly expanding cellulitis (acute gastroenteritis and necrotizing wound infections) or invasive septicemia [2]. V. vulnificus infection is known to stimulate the production of several pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are associated with inflammatory responses mediated predominantly by dendritic cells (DCs), functioning as antigen-presenting cells of the mammalian immune system to process antigen materials and present them on the cell surface to T cells of the immune system [1,3].…”

Occurrence of clinical genotype Vibrio vulnificus in clam samples in Mangalore, Southwest coast of India

“…V. vulnificus illness in humans is associated with gastroenteritis due to the consumption of raw or undercooked seafood particularly oysters or severe wound infections resulting from exposing wounds to contaminated estuary or seawater (Gulig et al 2005). The factors predisposing individuals to severe infection include underlying chronic diseases or immunocompromised health status (Oliver 2015).…”