Open AccessCharacteristics of potentially pathogenic vibrios from subtropical M ozambique compared with isolates from tropical I ndia and boreal S weden
Author(s) -
Collin Betty,
RehnstamHolm AnnSofi,
Ehn Börjesson StinaMina,
Mussagy Aidate,
Hernroth Bodil
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
fems microbiology ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.377
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1574-6941
pISSN - 0168-6496
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2012.01471.x
Subject(s) - biology , vibrio parahaemolyticus , virulence , outbreak , subtropics , bay , vibrio , microbiology and biotechnology , veterinary medicine , ecology , bacteria , virology , gene , medicine , biochemistry , genetics , civil engineering , engineering
Reported outbreaks of V ibrio parahaemolyticus have increased worldwide, particularly in regions of high seafood consumption. In M ozambique, seafood constitutes an important food resource and diarrheal diseases are common among its inhabitants. Edible clams were collected in M aputo B ay during both the dry and rainy seasons, with the results showing the number of viable counts of vibrios in clams to peak during the latter. Vibrio parahaemolyticus was the predominant species identified among the isolated strains. Although only one of 109 total strains carried the tdh virulence gene, 69% of isolates showed evidence of hemolytic capacity when subjected to a functional test. Similar virulence patterns and biochemical properties were found in strains isolated from I ndian and S wedish marine waters. Antibiotic resistance was, however, more pronounced in strains isolated from these latter two environments.