Korean J Nosocomial Infect Control.  2005 Dec;10(2):48-56.

Prevalence and Molecular Genetic Characteristics of Vibrio parahaemolyticus New 03:K6 and 04:K68

• Choi TY
• Chae WH
• Kim DU
• Kang JO
• Pai H
• Ahn Y

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Vibrio parahaemolyticus belonged to the new 03:K6 serotype was demonstrated an unusual potential to spread and an enhanced propensity to cause infection in the worldwide. Recently, increased numbers of V. parahaemolyticus 03:K6 had been isolated in Korea, and we analyzed the prevalence and molecular genetic characteristics of V. parahaemolyticus 03:K6 isolates.
METHODS
V. parahaemolyticus were isolated from clinical specimens of patients with diarrhea in Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Korea, from 1998 to 2005. The serovars of isolates were determined by slide agglutination test with specific antisera. All isolates were examined for the presence of tdh/trh genes. AGS-PCR method detecting the new 03:K6 clone was used in this study. We analyzed clonality of these isolates by infrequent restriction site-polymerase chain reaction (IRS-PCR).
RESULTS
Thirty-six strains were isolated from 1998 to 2005. The main serotype of isolates were 03:K6 (24/36: 67%), All of them have tdh gene but not trh gene and an unique toxRS gene of the new 03:K6. The morphotypes of 03:K6 isolates show a same pattern of IRS-PCR, but can easily be differentiated from non-03:K6 and 04:K68 isolates.
CONCLUSION
The 03:K6 was a main serotype of V. parahaemolyticus isolated from 1998 to 2005 and they show same molecular characteristics.

Keyword

Vibrio parahaemolyticus; Serotypes; tdh gene; trh gene; Genotyping

MeSH Terms

Agglutination Tests
Clone Cells
Diarrhea
Humans
Immune Sera
Korea
Molecular Biology*
Prevalence*
Seoul
Vibrio parahaemolyticus*
Vibrio*
Immune Sera