Pathogenetic characterization of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates from clinical and seafood sources.

A total of 216 Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates from seafood and clinical samples in eastern China were investigated for their hemolytic and urea-producing phenotypes, presence of putative virulence genes tdh and trh. Twenty-one clinical isolates (84%, 21/25) and 3 seafood isolates (1.57%, 3/191) were tdh-positive while only 3 clinical isolates (12%) and 7 seafood isolates (3.

Occurrence of pandemic clones of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates from seafood and clinical samples in a Chinese coastal province.

Fifty-four isolates of Vibrio parahaemolyticus were examined for hemolytic and urease-producing phenotypes as well as presence of virulence markers by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All clinical isolates (11/11, 100%) and one out of 42 isolates from seafood (2.4%) possessed the tdh gene and showed hemolysis.

[Analysis of major phenotypes and hemolysin-related genotypes of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates from clinical and seafood samples].

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a gram-negative, halophilic bacterium that inhabits the marine and estuarine environments. It is an important human pathogen causing gastroenteritis when raw or partially-cooked seafoods are consumed. Its pathogenicity is believed to be related to hemolysins such as thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH), TDH-related hemolysin (TRH) and thermolabile hemolysin (TLH).