Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Sezione La Spezia, Laboratorio di Microbiologia Marina, La Spezia, Italy.
Lett Appl Microbiol. 2011 Oct;53(4):403-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1472-765X.2011.03119.x. Epub 2011 Jul 28.
The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Vibrio vulnificus and potentially pathogenic strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in mullets collected from estuarine environment in Italy.
Two hundred and ninety-five mullets were analysed by culture using the selective medium thiosulfate citrate bile salt sucrose agar, during a monitoring period of 2 years (2008-2009). Presumptive Vibrio colonies were initially identified by using biochemical tests, and strains identified as V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus were subsequently examined by PCR for the presence of species-specific and virulence genes (toxR, trh, tdh and vvh). V. parahaemolyticus was found in 55% (162/295) of fishes and V. vulnificus in 1% (3/295) with a higher presence in summer months. The trh+/tdh- strains were detected in 16% (47/295) of samples and only one strain resulted trh+/tdh+. One of the V. parahaemolyticus trh+ strains isolated belonged to the O1:KUT (K untypeable), a serotype recently associated to gastroenteritis in Italy.
This is the first report demonstrating a high percentage of potential pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus trh+ strains in estuarine fishes of the Mediterranean area.
These findings indicate the potential human health risk associated with the presence of pathogenic Vibrio spp. in wild fishes.
本研究旨在调查来自意大利河口环境的鲻鱼中是否存在创伤弧菌和致病性副溶血性弧菌。
在 2 年（2008-2009 年）的监测期间，使用硫代硫酸盐柠檬酸盐胆汁盐蔗糖琼脂选择性培养基对 295 条鲻鱼进行了分析。通过生化试验初步鉴定了疑似弧菌菌落，随后通过 PCR 检测了副溶血性弧菌和创伤弧菌菌株是否存在种特异性和毒力基因（toxR、trh、tdh 和 vvh）。发现 55%（162/295）的鱼类存在副溶血性弧菌，1%（3/295）的鱼类存在创伤弧菌，夏季更为常见。在 16%（47/295）的样本中检测到 trh+/tdh-菌株，只有一株为 trh+/tdh+。从分离的副溶血性弧菌 trh+菌株中，有一株属于 O1:KUT（不可分型），这是一种与意大利胃肠炎有关的血清型。
这是首次报告显示，在地中海地区河口鱼类中存在高比例的潜在致病性副溶血性弧菌 trh+菌株。
这些发现表明，野生鱼类中存在致病性弧菌可能会对人类健康造成潜在威胁。
