Characterization of new O3:K6 strains and phylogenetically related strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated in Taiwan and other countries.
OBJECTIVE
We analysed the genetic divergence in the pandemic new O3:K6 and phylogenetically related (new O3:K6-like) strains and compare these two groups in terms of virulence and other biological traits.


RESULTS
A total of 160 new O3:K6, new O3:K6-like and other strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated in Taiwan and other countries were collected and their clonal relationships analysed using SfiI-pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. All of the new O3:K6 and new O3:K6-like strains were grouped in cluster I with five new patterns identified. A O6:K18 strain was identified as a new member of the new O3:K6-like strains in addition to O4:K68, O1:KUT and O1:K25 strains. All of the lipopolysaccharide preparations of the selected strains exhibited closely spaced quadruplet banding patterns with similar mobility. The two groups of strains exhibited 100% sequence identity in the internal sequences of the toxR and laf genes, and also displayed similar virulence properties as determined with a suckling mouse model.


CONCLUSIONS
The new O3:K6 and new O3:K6-like strains were highly similar in virulence and in several other phenotypical and genotypical traits.


CONCLUSIONS
This work demonstrated the spread and divergence of the pandemic and related clone of V. parahaemolyticus with similar virulence.
Wong
H-C
HC
Department of Microbiology, Soochow University, Taipei, Taiwan. wonghc@scu.edu.tw
Chen
C-H
CH
Chung
Y-J
YJ
Liu
S-H
SH
Wang
T-K
TK
Lee
C-L
CL
Chiou
C-S
CS
Nishibuchi
M
M
Lee
B-K
BK
D000818:Animals; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D010802:Phylogeny; D011817:Rabbits; D013624:Taiwan; D014735:Vibrio Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D014736:Vibrio parahaemolyticus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014774:Virulence
D008070:Lipopolysaccharides