Taxonomy

Family Vibrionaceae
Genus Vibrio
Species V.cholerae O1 cholerae (classica)
V.cholerae.O1 eltor
V.cholerae O139 bengal
V.cholerae non O1
V.parahaemolyticus
V.vulnificus
V.alginolyticus
V.damsela
V.mimicus
V.fluvialis
V.metschnikovii
Vibrio species
Gram negative
Short, curved, rod-shaped
Rapidly motile as a result
of single polar flagellum
Facultative anaerobes
Growth of many Vibrio
strains reguires or is
stimulated by NaCl
V.cholerae do not reguire
salt for growth but can
tolerate it.
Culture on blood Mac
Conkey agar.
 Antigens
Flagella (H) antigen – common for genus Vibrio.
Somatic O antigen – useful for distinguishing
strains of vibrious.
O antigen consist of 3 components ABC.
Formula AB – serotype Ogawa.
Formula AC – Inaba.
Formula ABC – Hikojima.
 The medically important vibrios
Organism
V.cholerae serogroups O1 and
O139
V.Cholerae serogroups non-
O1\non-O139
V.parahaemolyticus
Others
V.mimicus, V.vulnificus,
V.hollisae, V.fluvialis,
V.damsela, V.anginolyticus,
V.metschnikovi.
Human Disease
Epidemic and pandemic
cholera.
Cholera-like diarrhea; mild
diarrhea; rarely, extraintestinal
infection.
Gastroenteritis, perhaps
extraintestinal infection.
Ear, wound, soft tissue, and
other extraintestinal infections,
all uncommon.
 Vibrio Species associated with
human disease
Species Source of Clinical disease
infection
V.cholerae Water, food Gastroenteritis
V.parahaemolyticus Shellfish, seawater Gastroenteritis, wound
infection, bacteremia
V.vulnificus Shellfish, seawater Bacteremia, wound
infection, cellulitis
V.alginolyticus Seawater Wound infection,
external otitis
V.hollisae Shellfish Gastroenteritis, wound
infection, bacteremia
V.fluvialis Seafood Gastroenteritis, wound
infection, bacteremia
Species Source of Clinical disease
infection
V.damsela Seawater Wound infection
V.metschnikovii Unknown Bacteremia
V.mimicus Fresh water Gastroenteritis,
wound infection,
bacteremia
V.furnissii Seawater Gastroenteritis
V.cincinnatiensis Unknown Bacteremia,meni
ngitis
V.carchariae Seawater Wound (shark
bite)
 Virulence factors of Vibrio
cholerae O1 and O139
Virulence factor Biologic effect
Cholera toxin Hypersecretion of
electrolytes and water.

Coregulated pilus Adherence to mucosal cells

Accessory colonization Adhesin factor
Hemagglutination-protease Induces intestinal
(mucinase) inflammation and
degradation of tight
junctions
Siderophores Iron sequestration
Neuraminidase Increase toxin receptors
 Virulence factors of other
Vibrio species
Organism Virulence factors
V.parahaemolyticus Thermostable direct
hemolysin
V.vulnificus Serum resistance,
antiphagocytic,
polysaccharides, cytolysins,
collagenase, protease,
siderophore
V.alginolyticus Collagenase
V.hollisae Heat-stable and heat-labile
enterotoxin, hemolysin
V.damsela Cytolysin
Mechanism of action of
cholera toxin
 Mechanism of action of
cholera toxin
The cAMP
causes the active
secretion of
sodium (Na+),
chloride (Cl),
potassium (K+),
bicarbonate
(HCO3), and
water (H2O), out
of the cell into the
intestinal lumen.
Summary of Vibrio vulnificus
infections
Physiology and structure:
• Curved gram-negative bacilli.
• Facultative anaerobe
• Fermenter
• Simple nutritional requirements but
requires salt for growth.
Virulence:
• Resistant to complement- and
antibody-mediated serum killing (thus,
systematic infections).
• Antiphagocytic capsule
• Production of hydrolytic enzymes
(cytolysins, collagenase, proteases).
Epidemiology:
• Infection associated with exposure of a
wound to contaminated salt water or
ingestion of improperly prepared shellfish.
Diseases:
• Wound infections that can progress rapidly
to formation of bullae and tissue necrosis.
• Septicemia following ingestion of
contaminated shellfish.
• High mortality rate in immunocompromised
patients.
Diagnosis:
Culture wounds and blood.
Treatment,prevention, and control.
• Life-threatening illness that must be
promptly treated with antibiotics.
• Tetracyclines or aminoglycosides
treatment of choise.
• No vaccine is available.
 Summary of Vibrio
parahaemolyticus infections
Physiology and structure:
• Curved gram-negative bacilli.
• Facultative anaerobe.
• Fermenter.
• Simple nutritional requirements but
requires salt for growth.
Virulence:
• Hemolysin.
• Adhesin.
Epidemiology:
• Organism found in estuarine and
marine environments worldwide.
• Assotiated with consumption of
contaminated shellfish.
• Is a major pathogen in countries where
raw fish is eaten.
Diseases:
Diarrhea ranging from mild disease to a cholera-like
illness.
Typical presentation is an explosive, watery diarrhea.
Less commonly associated with wound infections and
bacteremia.
Diagnosis:
Culture should be perfomed as with V.cholerae.
Treatment, prevention, and control:
Self-limited disease, although antibiotics can shorten
symptoms and fluid loss.
Disease prevented by proper cooking of shellfish.
No vaccines are available.
Campylobacter species
Gram negative;
Curved, spiral, or S-
shaped rods;
Single, polar flagellum,
resulting in characteristic
darting motion;
Microaerophilic;
Do not ferment
carbohydrates;
Culture on selective
medium (blood agar
containing antibiotics to
inhibit growth of other
fecal flora).
 Campylobacter jejuni.
The photograph is of a
modified fuchsin stain of
organisms recovered from
a stool culture obtained
from a 1-year old
Guatemalan girl suffering 3
days of diarrhea as a result
of a Campylobacter
infection. A smear of the
cultured organism was
stained with undiluted
carbolfuschin Ziehl-
Neelsen solution (Merck)
for 3 minutes at room
temperature.
Helicobacter pylori
Gram-negative;
Curved or spiral rods;
Multiple polar flagella,
which give organism
rapid, corkscrew
motility;
Urease positive;
Culture on selective
medium, containing
antibiotics to inhibit
growth of other fecal
flora.