BACKGROUND: Vibrio species may be classified as halophilic or nonhalophilic on the basis of their requirement of NaCl for optimal growth. Recently, attention has been focused on the halophilic vibrios and Vibrio cholerae non-O1/O139 causing extraintestinal infections such as septicemia. The aim of this study is to elucidate the isolation rate and clinical manifestations of Vibrio species isolated from clinical specimens between 1996 and 2000 at Wonju Christian Hospital. METHODS: Stool specimens were inoculated onto the thiosulfate-citrate-bile salt-sucrose media, blood cultures were performed by automated blood culture systems with commercial bottles, and the others were cultured according to the routine procedures. RESULTS: The isolation rate of Vibrio in decreasing order were: V. parahaemolyticus; 87%(62/71), V. alginolyticus; 6%(4/71), V. cholerae non-O1; 4%(3/71), and V. vulnificus; 3%(2/71). The proportions of gastroenteritis and septicemia by Vibrio species were 89% and 7%, respectively. Patients with gastroenteritis recovered without special problem, but the mortality of septicemia was 80%. CONCLUSIONS: Ninety-seven percentage of clinical isolates of Vibrio species were halophilic vibrios, and the mortality of Vibrio septicemia was as high as 80%.
Cholera ; Gangwon-do* ; Gastroenteritis ; Humans ; Mortality ; Sepsis ; Tertiary Healthcare* ; Vibrio cholerae ; Vibrio Infections* ; Vibrio*

Vibrio vulnificus was isolated from a blood culture of a 41-year-old male patient with liver cirrhosis. He had eaten raw fish one day prior to the onset of clinical symptoms which included fever, chills, diarrhea and hypotension. He also developed cellulitis of the right leg which developed into a necrotic ulcer. The isolate was a slightly curved gram-negative bacillus and the colony morphology on a TCBS plate was similar to that of V. parabaemolyticus. Acid production from lactose was detected after 2 days of incubation. Other biochemical tests showed typical reactions of V vulnificus. The isolate was susceptible to all of the tested antibiotics except to clindamycin, colistin and penicillin G.
Adult ; Human ; Liver Cirrhosis/complications* ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Septicemia/microbiology* ; Vibrio/isolation & purification ; Vibrio/ultrastructure ; Vibrio Infections/microbiology*

Ginsan, a botanic polysaccharide extracted from Panax ginseng, has recently been reported to modulate mucosal immune response. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of Ginsan against fatal Vibrio vulnificus mucosal infection. A lethal dose of V. vulnificus (1.0 x 106 CFU/mouse) was nasally inoculated to mice. The bacterial count in the nasal associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) of the mouse was significantly reduced in the Ginsan-treated group. The Ginsan-treated group showed improved survival compared to the control group (100% vs 18%). To elucidate the effect of Ginsan on modulating host immune response, cytokine mRNA expressions involved in mediating inflammation were determined by semiquantitative RT-PCR in the NALTs of the infected mice. Most of the cytokine mRNAs were similarly expressed as the control group. However, COX-1 mRNA expression level was higher in Ginsan-treated group compared to the control group. The protective effect of Ginsan was antagonized by treating with a specific COX-1 inhibitor, SC-560. Thus, these data suggest that the protective effect of Ginsan against V. vulnificus infection is partly mediated by modulating COX-1 expression.
Animals ; Bacterial Load ; Immunity, Mucosal ; Inflammation ; Lymphoid Tissue ; Mice ; Negotiating ; Panax ; Polysaccharides ; Pyrazoles ; RNA, Messenger ; Vibrio ; Vibrio Infections ; Vibrio vulnificus

Vibrio vulnificus causes very severe infections. The organism is isolated, for the most part, from the blood, and skin lesions. Isolation from other sources, including the urine, is very rate. Four cases of V. vulnificus septicemia were bacteriologically diagnosed in 1984 and 1985 at Severance Hospital. All of the patients were men, 42 years and older, with preexisting liver disease. All of them showed hypotension and secondary skin lesions, and all expired. The organism was isolated from the blood in all patients, from the peritoneal fluid in one, and from skin lesions in two. From one patient, isolation from a urine speAmen was also accomplished. All of the isolates were typical in their characteristics such as in their forming green colonies on Thiosulfate citrate bile sucrose (TCBS) agar, delayed acid production from lactose, and growth in broth with 6% NaCl.
Adult ; Human ; Middle Age ; Septicemia/diagnosis* ; Vibrio/isolation & purification ; Vibrio Infections/diagnosis*

PURPOSE: To report a case of endophthalmitis associated with Vibrio vulnificus septicemia. METHODS: Vibrio vulnificus septicemia patient was referred to us in consultation for abrupt onset left visual loss, severe periorbital swelling and conjunctival injection. RESULTS: Left eye showed suppurative intraocular inflammation. With a clinical impression of V. vulnificus endogeneous endophthalmitis, culture for causative organisms and intravitreal antibiotics injection were done. Two days later, we performed pars plana lensectomy, pars plana vitrectomy, intravitreal antibiotics, SF6 gas injection. Intraocular inflammation was subsided after operation, and the anatomical structure of the eyeball was preserved CONCLUSIONS: Immediate ophthalmologic examination is mandatory for ruling out endophthalmitis when Vibrio species septicemia patient complains of ophthalmic symptoms, such as blurred vision or ocular pain. When clinicians diagnose endophthalmitis, make an effort to identify causative organisms. When bacterial infection is suspected, inject antibiotics intravitreously or vitrectomy must be done as faster as possible.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacterial Infections ; Endophthalmitis* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Intravitreal Injections ; Sepsis* ; Vibrio ; Vibrio vulnificus ; Vitrectomy

Genotype ; Humans ; Seafood ; microbiology ; Vibrio Infections ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Vibrio parahaemolyticus ; drug effects ; genetics ; pathogenicity

Objective: To study the epidemiological and pathogenic characteristics of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from outbreaks cases in Guangdong Province, 2017-2020. Methods: Epidemiological characteristics of 87 outbreak events caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus were analyzed. Strains were serotyped, and then analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Results: The food-borne disease outbreak caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus was found in 16 cities. 44.8% (39/87) and 37.9% (33/87) of the outbreaks occurred in hotels, restaurants and school canteens, respectively. Improper food processing and storage (40.2%, 35/87) and cross contamination caused by indiscriminate raw and cooked food (25.3%, 22/87) were the main causes of food-borne disease outbreaks of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The main serotypes of patient derived strains were O3:K6 (87.5%) and O4:KUT (22.5%). The similarity value between O3:K6 type isolates was 65.5%-100.0%, and the PFGE pattern similarity value of O4:KUT type isolates was 66.5%-100.0%. Conclusion: Outbreaks caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus are widely distributed in Guangdong province. It is necessary to strengthen the publicity and education on the correct handling of food in hotels, restaurants, schools, and unit canteens. O3:K6 and O4:KUT serotypes are the main serotypes of the outbreak. There is genetic diversity among the epidemic strains.
China/epidemiology* ; Disease Outbreaks ; Foodborne Diseases/epidemiology* ; Humans ; Serotyping ; Vibrio Infections/epidemiology* ; Vibrio parahaemolyticus/genetics*

Objective: To characterize the prevalence and genomic epidemiology of Vibrio parahaemolyticus from acute diarrheal patients in Shenzhen City from 2013 to 2021. Methods: Based on the Shenzhen Infectious Diarrhea Surveillance System, acute diarrheal patients were actively monitored in sentinel hospitals from 2013 to 2021. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates was performed, and the genomic population structure, serotypes, virulence genes and multilocus sequence typing were analyzed. Outbreak clusters from 2019 to 2021 were explored based on single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis. Results: A total of 48 623 acute diarrhea cases were monitored in 15 sentinel hospitals from 2013 to 2021, and 1 135 Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains were isolated, with a positive isolation rate of 2.3%. Qualified whole-genome sequencing data of 852 isolates were obtained. Eighty-nine serotypes, 21 known ST types and 5 new ST types were identified by sequence analysis, and 93.2% of strains were detected with toxin profile of tdh+trh-. 8 clonal groups (CGs) were captured, with CG3 as the absolute predominance, followed by CG189. The CG3 group was dominated by O3:K6 serotype and ST3 sequence type, while CG189 group was mainly O4:KUT, O4:K8 serotypes and ST189a and ST189 type. A total of 13 clusters were identified, containing 154 cases. About 30 outbreak clusters with 29 outbreak clusters caused by CG3 strains from 2019 to 2021. Conclusion: Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a major pathogen of acute infectious diarrhea in Shenzhen City, with diverse population structures. CG3 and CG189 have been prevalent and predominant in Shenzhen City for a long time. Scattered outbreaks and persistent sources of contamination ignored by traditional methods could be captured by WGS analysis. Tracing the source of epidemic clone groups and taking precise prevention and control measures are expected to significantly reduce the burden of diarrhea diseases caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection in Shenzhen City.
Humans ; Vibrio parahaemolyticus/genetics* ; Diarrhea/epidemiology* ; Foodborne Diseases/epidemiology* ; Serogroup ; Genomics ; Dysentery ; Vibrio Infections/epidemiology* ; Serotyping

A 56-year-old woman with underlying liver cirrhosis was hospitalized with chief complaints of fever, which developed after eating raw fish on the previous day. On physical examination, she showed hypotension. Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains were simultaneously isolated from blood cultures, and the patient recovered after treatment with antibiotics including cefotaxime. To our knowledge, simultaneous isolation of both V. vulnificus and V. parahaemolyticus from the blood has never been documented before in Korea or any other countries. When blood cultures from a patient with underlying disease such as liver disease show growth of gram-negative bacilli in the summer months, microbiologists in Korea, where Vibrio infection is prevalent, should be aware of the possibility that V. vulnificus and other Vibrio spp. can be isolated simultaneously. An accurate identification of all isolates is important, because antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, severity and prognosis of the infection are different significantly depending on species.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Cefotaxime ; Eating ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Korea ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver Diseases ; Middle Aged ; Physical Examination ; Prognosis ; Vibrio ; Vibrio Infections ; Vibrio parahaemolyticus* ; Vibrio vulnificus*

Aeromonas hydrophila is a facultatively anaerobic, asporogenous gram-negative rod that has often been regarded as an opportunistic pathogen in hosts with impairment of a local or general defense mechanism. A 68-year-old alcoholic woman presented with shock and gangrene on the right arm. At first, her clinical presentations were severe painful erythematous swelling that worsened within a few hours with development of gangrene, edema, and blisters. Bullous fluid and blood cultures yielded A. hydrophila. Histopathological findings of sections obtained from the vesicle revealed subepidermal vesicles; necrosis of the epidermis, papillary dermis, and subcutaneous fat; and massive hemorrhage in the subcutis. Despite all efforts to save the patient, she died 8 hours after admission. Clinical features of A. hydrophila sepsis resemble those of Vibrio vulnificus sepsis. Therefore, in addition to the case report, we compared the cultural, biochemical, and morphological differences between A. hydrophila and V. vulnificus for facilitation of early and accurate identification of the causative agent.
Aeromonas ; Aeromonas hydrophila ; Aged ; Alcoholics ; Arm ; Blister ; Dermis ; Edema ; Epidermis ; Female ; Gangrene ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Microbiological Techniques ; Necrosis ; Sepsis ; Shock ; Vibrio ; Vibrio Infections ; Vibrio vulnificus