Correlation of mannitol fermentation with virulence-associated genotypic characteristics in Vibrio vulnificus isolates from oysters and water samples in the Gulf of Mexico.
Vibrio vulnificus strains (n = 469) isolated from the Gulf of Mexico oysters and waters over a period of 2 years were subjected to phenotypic and genotypic characterizations. Of the strains that could be definitively genotyped (n = 465), 58% were classified as genotype A, 29% as genotype B, and 13% as genotype A/B by 16S rRNA genotyping. When the same strain bank was characterized by virulence-correlated gene (vcg) typing, 65% were genotype E while 35% were genotype C. Further analysis focusing on strains falling into typical genotype categories (i.e., 16S rRNA types A or B, excluding type A/B strains) showed a high degree of concordance (93%) when comparing the two genotyping methods. d-Mannitol fermentation was also predictive of genotype, with an 86% agreement between 16S rRNA genotype and mannitol fermentation patterns, and an 85% agreement between vcg genotype and mannitol fermentation patterns. d-Mannitol fermentation should be considered as a simple and less expensive alternative to screen V. vulnificus isolates for virulence potential, particularly when analyzing large strain banks.
Drake
Stephenie L
SL
Department of Food Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA. sldrake@ncsu.edu
Whitney
Brooke
B
Levine
Jay F
JF
DePaola
Angelo
A
Jaykus
Lee-Ann
LA
D000818:Animals; D001267:Atlantic Ocean; D005285:Fermentation; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D005838:Genotype; D008145:Louisiana; D008353:Mannitol / Q000378:metabolism*; D010125:Ostreidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D010641:Phenotype; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017747:Seafood / Q000382:microbiology*; D012621:Seasons; D012623:Seawater / Q000382:microbiology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D041261:Vibrio vulnificus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D008353:Mannitol