Production of hemagglutinins and pili by Vibrio mimicus and its adherence to human and rabbit small intestines in vitro.

Clinical isolate of Vibrio mimicus were examined for production of cell-associated hemagglutinin (HA) and pili and for adherence to formalin-fixed human intestinal mucosa. V. mimicus grown on CFA agar for 3 h at 37 degrees C possessed HA and adhered better to the mucus layer than to the epithelial cell surface. A significant correlation was found between the HA titers and adherence ability to the epithelial cell surface of villi (P less than 0.05); adherence to the ileal lymphoid follicle-associated epithelium occurred at higher levels. In contrast, V. mimicus grown on CFA agar for 20 h at 37 degrees C exhibited lower levels of HA and reduced adherence ability. The production of pili was more pronounced after 20 h of incubation than after 3 h of incubation. In comparison with V. cholerae 01 and V. cholerae non-01 cultured under similar conditions, V. mimicus showed inferior adherence, but with similar HA production or piliation.