• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.213-217
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• 2006

The halophilic bacterium Vibrio vulnificus is known to be a foodborne pathogen that causes septicemia in human. V. vulnificus infection is characterized by the high fatality rates and the primary attack against a person who have underlying diseases such as liver cirrhosis. However, there is no effective treatment for V. vulnificus septicemia except for classical treatments such as antibiotics. Recently, it has been known that lipoprotein (LDL) plays a major role in the protection against infection and inflammation. Consequently in this paper we analyzed the effects of LDL on V. vulnificus septicemia. We purified V. vulnificus cytolysin, a major virulent factor of V. vulnificus infection and measured inhibitory effects of mouse serum, cholesterol, and LDL on its hemolytic activity. Next experiments were performed to investigate whether LDL has a protective role against septicemia induced by V. vulnificus in mice. Intraperitoneal injection of LDL (1mg as protein) into mice 3hr before V. vulnificus $(1\times10^6\;CFU)$ injection, and V. vulnificus -induced lethality was determined. For the determination the relationship between LDL or cholesterol and prognosis, we determined serum levels of cholesterol and lipoprotein from V. vulnificus septicemia patients (n=15) who had visited the Chonbuk National University Hospital in Chonju. V. vulnificus cytolysin -induced hemolysis of mice erythrocytes was completely inhibited by serum, cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein. V. vulnificus- induced lethality of mice injected with LDL showed only 40% compared to 100% of control. In survival groups (n=4) of V. vulnificus septicemia patients (n=15), their serum LDL and cholesterol revealed normal levels ($153.3{\pm}40.7,\;LDL;\;190.8{\pm}16.3$, Total cholesterol). However, in death groups (n=11) showed very low levels ($35.6{\pm}13.9,\;LDL;\;59.2{\pm}15.1$, Total cholesterol). Our study indicates that cholesterol and LDL are a prognosis indicator of V. vulnificus septicemia as well as an inhibitor of virulent action of V. vulnificus cytolysin. We suggested that the serum levels of cholesterol or LDL would be major index in the treatment and prevention of V. vulnificus septicemia.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.393-402
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• 1987

The halophilic bacterium Vibrio vulnificus, previously called lactose-positive(L+) Vibrio and Beneckea vulnifica, causes acute, fulminating wound infections and septicemia in humans. Septicemia is very serious infection with a fatality rate of about 50%. Most patients with primary septicemia due to V. vulnificus have preexisting liver disease. V. vulnificus also cause severe wound infections usually after trauma and exposure to marine animals or the marine environment. The mortality rate is not nearly as high as in primary septicemia caused by this organism. In most cases human disease results from ingestion of contaminated seafood or from infection of a wound, frequently of seawater or crab origin. The author made an attempt to isolation of the V vulnificus from seawater, seamud, fish, shellfish, and algae on the southern sea of Korea from January to September in 1987, using for the purpose of vaccine preparation. The author investigated for bacteriological identification, hemolysis and determination of serotypes of isolated V. vulnificus strains. Eighty-five strains(5.9%) out of 1450 specimens collected of V. vulnificus were isolated. The distribution of the 85 isolates were as follows: 21 strains from seawater, 11 strains from seamud, 28 strains from fish, 19 strains from shellfish, and 6 strains from algae, respectively. All 85 isolates were positive reaction on human blood agar. The distribution of serotypes of V. vulnificus isolates were O1 to O8: 13 strains of O1, 6 strains of O2, 11 strains of O3, 9 strains of O4, 10 strains of O5, 7 strains of O6, 15 strains of O7, and 10 strains of O8, respectively. Eighty-one strains showed agglutination with O antisera, but 4 strains failed to show agglutination. In this study, the author suspected that serotypes of V. vulnificus isolates distributed also in the seaside of Korea as well as in most seaside of the world, and new serotypes were in existence in the seaside of Korea except reported up to now.

• The Korean journal of internal medicine
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.1070-1078
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• 2018

Vibrio vulnificus is a gram-negative bacterium that can cause serious, potentially fatal infections. V. vulnificus causes three distinct syndromes: an overwhelming primary septicemia caused by consuming contaminated seafood, wound infections acquired when an open wound is exposed to contaminated warm seawater, and gastrointestinal tract-limited infections. Case-fatality rates are higher than 50% for primary septicemia, and death typically occurs within 72 hours of hospitalization. Risk factors for V. vulnificus infection include chronic liver disease, alcoholism, and hematological disorders. When V. vulnificus infection is suspected, appropriate antibiotic treatment and surgical interventions should be performed immediately. Third-generation cephalosporin with doxycycline, or quinolone with or without third-generation cephalosporin, may be potential treatment options for patients with V. vulnificus infection.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.109-116
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• 1987

As a process to establish an effective preventive measure of V. vulnificus septicemia, bactericidal effect of distilled water against V. vulnificus was studied. When about $2.0{\times}10^7\;CFU/ml$ of V. vulnificus was inoculated in distilled water, a dramatic decrease in the number of viable bacteria by 5 to $6LOG_{10}$ was observed in 5 minutes. Bactericidal kinetic curves could be divided into the first rapid killing phase until 1 minute and the later slow killing phase after then, showing the heterogeneity of the bacterial population inoculated. When V. vulnificus was inoculated in saline solutions having various salinities, significant decrease in the number of viable bacteria was noted only at salinities under 0.2%. The higher was the concentration of NaCl, the greater was the degree of protection against osmotic shock. When glucose, NaCl, $MgCl_2$, and $CaCl_2$ were diluted with deionized water to give same osmolarities and V. vulnificus was inoculated in each of them to compare the bactericidal curves plotted during the first 5 minutes after inoculation, the protection efficiencies were in the order of $MgCl_2>CaCl_2{\gg}NaCl{\gg}glucose$. Above results indicate that treatment(or thorough washing) of contaminated sea animals or other products with distilled water can be used as a preventive measure of V. vulnificus septicemia, and divalent cations can protect V. vulnifcus to osmotic shock with high efficiency.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.69-75
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• 2004

Vibrio vulnificus is a halophilic bacterium frequently involved in human infection of seafood-associated primary septicemia and primary wound infection, mostly in men with over 40-years of age with underlying liver disease. The primary septicemia, which is the most common form of V. vulnificus infection in Korea, is defined as a systemic illness presenting fever or hypotension with recovery of V. vulnificus from blood or tissue without the apparent primary focus of infection. V. vulnificus typically do not produce acid from sucrose, but a case of primary septisemia was found in a patient at Chonnam K hospital in 1993 from whose blood a sucrose-fermenting strain was isolated. The patient was a 62-year-old man, heavy drinker, with underlying liver disease. He consumed a raw seafood dish two days before onset of the present illness. His symptoms were tenderness and swelling on the right foot. He rapidly developed septicemia, resulting in sudden death. V. vulnificus was isolated from the venous blood culture of the patient. On subculture, the isolate formed yellow colonies on TCBS and produced acid from sucrose. Because of these characteristics, species identification was not achieved by the API 20E and was delayed. Other characteristics of the isolate were identical to those of typical V. vulnificus. The isolate was common serotype O4A and possession of V. vulnificus-specific cytolysin gene was detected by PCR. The isolate was susceptible to all the antimicrobial agents tested including tetracycline, but was intermediate to colistin. In conclusion, it is important that microbiologists be aware of the presence of sucrose-positive V. vulnificus when he or she identifies gram-negative bacilli, which is isolated from the blood of patients with a recent history of raw seafood dish consumption.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.132.2-132.2
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• 2003

Vibrio vulnificus, a Gram-negative estuarine bacterium, is the causative agent of food-borne diseases, such as life-threatening septicemia. V. vulnificus penetrating into the intestinal epithelial barrier stimulates an inflammatory response in the adjacent intestinal mucosa. Therefore, interaction between V. vulnificus and intestinal cells is important for understanding of both the immunology of mucosal surfaces and V. vulnificus. In this study we investigated the effects of V. vulnificus infection on cytokine gene expression of human intestinal epithelial cells, Caco-2 and INT-407 cells. (omitted)

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.175-180
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• 1989

Toxins from Vibrio vulnificus cause Vibrio septicemia. Study was carried out for localization, characterization and toxicity of these toxins by injection thorough introspectional route to ICR(Insititude cancer research) mouse using Vibrio vulnificus M -1 isolated from patient and Vibrio vulnificus S-1 from sea water. No significant differences in lethal toxicity were observed between Vibrio vulnificus M-1 and Vibrio vulnificus $S-1.\;LD_{50}$ was $7.80{\times}10^6$ cells when these bacteria were injected to ICR mouse thorough intraperitoneal route. Crude hemolysin from Vibrio vulnificus S-1 did not show lethal toxiity and this lethal toxin were found to be endotoxin. This endotoxin were completely inactivated upon incubation at $80^{\circ}C$ for 20min.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.225-229
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• 1997

A halophilic V. vulnificus is an estuarine microorganism that has been associated with fatal wound Infection and life-threatening septicemia. Hemolysin is defined as toxic substance produced by various species of bacteria Including V. vulnificus. Hemolysin from marine V. vulnificus was purified and the effect of pH, temperature. metal ion on the activity of hemolysin, and thermostability of hemolysin were tested in this study. Hemolysin iysed the sheep red blood cell and the optimum pH was 8.0, the optimum temperature was 4$0^{\circ}C$, and $K^+$ increased but $Mn^{2+}$ decreased the hemolyic activity of hemolysin, but hemolysin was unstable to heat.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.367-376
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• 1997

Vibrio vulnificus is a gram-negative, halophilic, oxidase-positive, lactose-positive, motile, rod shaped bacterium that has been associated with primary septicemia and wound infection. Elucidating the growth and survival of V. vulnificus in ecological conditions is of great importance to develop sanitary measure against this microorganism. Thus we simulated the ecological conditions and evaluated the effect. About $10^5\;CFU/ml$ of V. vulnificus was inoculated to fresh water, brackish water $(1\%\;NaCl)$, sea water $(3\%\;NaCl)$, and bottom deposit solution. The same concentration of V. vulnificus was also inoculated to distilled water, $1\%\;NaCl$ solution and $3\%\;NaCl$ solution as controls. These were stored at 4, 15 and $25^{\circ}C$, respectively and were used to assess the effects of temperature and salinity on the survival of V. vulnificus. In fresh water V. vulnificus could not survive regardless of storage temperature. In case of brackish water and sea water survival time of V. vulnificus was the longest at $25^{\circ}C$, and the number of V. vulnificus was decreased most rapidly at $4^{\circ}C$. V. vulnificus survived longer in brackish water than in any other conditions. In bottom deposit solution containing brackish water, the survival time of V. vulnificus was longer and the rate of decline was slower than that in brackish water. These results indicate that both biological and physicochemical factors such as temperature and salinity could affect survival of V. vulnificus. V. vulnificus, damaged in normal fresh water, did not grow on TCBS agar of selective plating medium but grew on BHI agar plate; However, V. vulnificus was recovered by addition of salt and nutrient materials.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.53-59
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• 1995

Vibrio unlnificus, a normal inhabitant in estuaries, is of great concern because it is a potent human pathogen causing septicemia, wound infection and gastrointestinal disease in Kum river, sampling was undertaken in five station from March, 26, 1993 to February, 22, 1994. Samples of 54 and 49 were collected from seawater and bottom deposit. The total detection rate of V. unlnificus was 11.7%. The detection rates of V. unlnificus in the seawater and the bottom deposit were 9.3% and 14.3% respectively. V. unlnificus was mainly detected in estuary water when temperature was above 23$^{\circ}C$ and salinity was below 15%. We suppose that water when temperature, salinity, pH and COD affect growth of V. unlnificus.