Virulence gene- and pandemic group-specific marker profiling of clinical Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates.
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a halophilic bacterium capable of causing food- and waterborne gastroenteritis, wound infections, and septicemia in humans. The organism has recently received increasing attention, as the emergence of a new clone, V. parahaemolyticus O3:K6, has resulted in the first documented pandemic spread of V. parahaemolyticus. We used microarray analyses to explore the presence of known virulence factors and genetic markers thought to be specific for V. parahaemolyticus O3:K6 and its clonal derivatives. Analyses of 48 human clinical isolates collected between 1997 and 2005 revealed that the V. parahaemolyticus chromosome 2 type III secretion system is not specifically associated with pandemic strains and can be found in tdh-negative (i.e., Kanagawa-negative) clinical isolates. These results highlight the genetic dynamism of V. parahaemolyticus and aid in refining the genetic definition of the pandemic group members.
Meador
Carolyn E
CE
Naval Research Laboratory, Center for Bio/Molecular Science & Engineering, 4555 Overlook Avenue SW, Bldg. 30, Code 6910, Washington, DC 20375, USA. gvora@cbmse.nrl.navy.mil
Parsons
Michele M
MM
Bopp
Cheryl A
CA
Gerner-Smidt
Peter
P
Painter
John A
JA
Vora
Gary J
GJ
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005838:Genotype; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000235:genetics; D014735:Vibrio Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D014736:Vibrio parahaemolyticus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; C092283:Vp-TDH-II hemolysin; C068489:thermostable direct hemolysin