title: Isolation and molecular characterization of toxigenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus from the Kii Channel, Japan.
abstract: Studies were conducted on the ecology of potentially pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus in three coastal areas of Kii Channel, Tokushima, Japan. Seawater and seaweed samples were collected seasonally between June 2003 and May 2004. Total and toxigenic strains of V. parahaemolyticus were isolated using most probable number culture and colony blot hybridization. Toxigenic strains were serotyped and further characterized by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and ribotyping. Six thousand strains of V. parahaemolyticus were isolated and 18 were found positive for tdh. V. parahaemolyticus were detected in all samples during summer and autumn, and from some samples during winter and spring. Among the toxigenic strains seven serotypes, five ribotypes and RAPD patterns were observed. Seven strains belonged to O3:K6 clone with identical ribotypes and RAPD patterns to that of a pandemic reference strain. The presence of toxigenic V. parahaemolyticus with pandemic potential might indicate a human health risk due to consumption of marine food sources.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Environment and Nutrition, Systems of Nutritional Sciences, Graduate School of Health Biosciences Research, The University of Tokushima, 18-15, 3-chome, Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
authors.forename: Zahid
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hayat Mahmud
authors.forename: Afework
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kassu
authors.forename: Alizadeh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohammad
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamato
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Bhuiyan
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Balakrish Nair
authors.forename: Fusao
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ota
mesh_terms: D016000:Cluster Analysis; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D007564:Japan; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D019105:Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique; D021521:Ribotyping; D012621:Seasons; D012623:Seawater; D012624:Seaweed; D012703:Serotyping; D014736:Vibrio parahaemolyticus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S