title: Vibrio vulnificus biotype 2, pathogenic for eels, is also an opportunistic pathogen for humans.
abstract: We report that the eel pathogen Vibrio vulnificus biotype 2 is also an opportunistic pathogen for humans. Results from a detailed comparative study using reference strains of both biotypes revealed that the clinical strain ATCC 33817, originally isolated from a human leg wound and classified as V. vulnificus (no reference on its biotype is noted), belongs to biotype 2 of the species. As a biotype 2 strain, it is negative for indole and pathogenic for eels and mice, harbors two plasmids of high MrS, and belongs to serogroup E, recently proposed as characteristic of biotype 2 strains. In consequence, appropriate measures must be taken by consumers, particularly by those running a health risk, and by fish farmers, above all when manipulating eels during epizootic outbreaks.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Ecología, Universidad de Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Amaro
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Biosca
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D004524:Eels / Q000382:microbiology; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D010641:Phenotype; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D014733:Vibrio / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014735:Vibrio Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D014774:Virulence