Urea hydrolysis can predict the potential pathogenicity of Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains isolated in the Pacific Northwest.
The ability of some strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus to hydrolyze urea (uh+) can be used as a marker to predict which strains isolated from molluscan shellfish harvested in the Pacific Northwest are potentially pathogenic. The thermostable direct hemolysin-producing (TDH+) characteristic is a marker that is correlated with potential pathogenicity, and all of the TDH+ strains that we have isolated have been found to be uh+. Most of the uh+ strains belong to somatic antigen groups O3, O4 and O5. TDH+ strains are usually members of groups O4 and O5. The strains most often associated with human illness are members of the uh+, O4 group. The test for urease production is a simple screening test that can be helpful in predicting which strains are potentially pathogenic.
Kaysner
C A
CA
Seafood Products Research Center, Food and Drug Administration, Bothell, Washington 98041.
Abeyta
C
C
Trost
P A
PA
Wetherington
J H
JH
Jinneman
K C
KC
Hill
W E
WE
Wekell
M M
MM
D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D006801:Humans; D006868:Hydrolysis; D008974:Mollusca / Q000382:microbiology*; D015205:Northwestern United States; D012703:Serotyping; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D014508:Urea / Q000378:metabolism*; D014510:Urease / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014736:Vibrio parahaemolyticus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014871:Water Microbiology
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; C068489:thermostable direct hemolysin; D014508:Urea; D014510:Urease