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Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Veterinary bacteriology: information about important bacteria
Veterinary bacteriology


Species/Subspecies: Vibrio vulnificus
Categories: Zoonotic; causes hemolysis; motile; notifiable diseases and bacteria
Etymology: Genus name: The vibrating organism
Species epithet: causes wounds
Significance:  [Important]   
Taxonomy:
Phylum
Pseudomonadota
Class
Gammaproteobacteria
Order
Vibrionales
Family
Vibrionaceae 
Genus
Vibrio
Type Strain: 324 = ATCC 27562 = CCUG 13448 och 16394.
Macromorphology (smell):
     
 
Relatively large (about 3 mm in diameter), greyish white and glistening colonies on blood agar. Some strains give hemolysis on blood agar (see image).
Micromorphology:
 
Motile and curved rod (0.5-0.8 x 1.4-2.6 µm).
Gram +/Gram -:G-
Metabolism: Facultatively anaerobic
Catalase/Oxidase:+/+
Other Enzymes: Tryptophanase V (= indole V)
Biochemical Tests: Citrate V, Voges-Proskauer -
Fermentation of carbohydrates:
D-glucose
+
lactose
V
maltose
+
L-rhamnose
-
sucrose
-
L-arabinose
-
cellobiose
V
D-mannitol
V
salicin
V
trehalose
+
glycerol
?
inulin
?
raffinose
-
D-sorbitol
V
starch
?
Glucose (gas) -. The carbohydrates, which are variable (V) in the above table, can be used to differentiate the three biogroups of V. vulnificus.
Spec. Char.: Halophililic (= salt loving). Can grow in upp to 6% NaCl.
Reservoir: Warm (17-20°C) seawater
Disease:Fish (primarely eel): vibriosis. Man: wound infections, sepsis and gastrointestinal infections. The latter often after intake of inadequately cooked see food (primarely oysters).
Hosts: Fish, man.
Clinical Picture:
Genome Sequence:
Acc-noStrainSize (bp)Genome
NC_005139 and NC_005140 YJ016 5 211 578 2c + 0 
Krom. I (3 354 505 bp) resp. krom. II (1 857 073 bp)

16S rRNA Seq.:
Acc-noStrainNumber of NTOperon
X74726 ATCC 27562T 1466 
Åtta rRNA-operon på krom. I och ett på krom. II

Taxonomy/phylogeny:
 
About 120 species within genus Vibrio have been described. Members of this genus are closely related to members within the genera Aliivibrio and Listonella.
Legislation: Human infections of V. vulnificus are according to the Swedish communicable disease act notifiable to the county medical officer and the Public Health Agency of Sweden. V. vulnificus belongs to category B as a potential bioterrorism agent according to NIAID. V. vulnificus is a zoonotic pathogen.
Comment:Three different biogroups have been identified. V. vulnificus can cause very serious food poisonings.
Updated:2023-03-29

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Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences