Vibrio

Presented by- Ayodele Yewande, Emenike Faith, Kareem Dimeji, Emamuzo Otobo ,Udom Prince.

Scientific Classification

Kingdom : Bacteria Phylum : Proteobacteria Class : Gamma Proteobacteria Order : Vibriobales Family : Vibrionacaea Genus : Vibrio

Introduction

Vibrio is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria possessing a curved rod shape. Typically found in saltwater ,vibrio are facultative anaerobes that test positive for oxidase and do not form spores. All members of the genus are motile and have polar flagella with sheath. Recent phylogenies have been constructed based on a suite of genes (multilocus sequence typing)

Pathogenic strains

Several species of Vibrio include clinically important human pathogens. Most disease causing strains are associated with gastroenteritis but can also infect open wounds and cause septicemia. Pathogenic Vibrio include V. cholerae, V. parahaemolticus and V. vulnificus. Vibrio cholerae is generally transmitted via water. pathogenic Vibrio can cause food poisoning, usually associated with eating undercooked seafood.

Diagram 1 shows the Gram stain of V. cholerae and Diagram 2 shows V. vulnificus cellutitis

Vibrio cholerae

Vibrio cholerae is a comma shaped Gram-negative bacteria with a single, polar flagellum for movement. There are numerous strains of V. cholerae, some of which are not pathogenic. The diagram to the right shows an electron micrograph of V. cholerae.

V. cholerae causes cholera and it is only pathogenic for human. It is not an invasive infection, the organisms do not reach the bloodstream but remain within the intestinal tract. V cholerae colonizes the gastrointestinal tract where it adheres to villi. The enterotoxin produced by the organism is a complex molecule which has 2 fragments A and B. B is able to bind to specific receptors in the small intestine.

Epidemiology

V. cholerae is found in fresh water ponds and eustuaries in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and parts of Europe. The disease is usually spread by contaminated water and food, most commonly during the warm months of the year.

Symptoms

After an incubation period of 1-4 days, there is a sudden onset of nausea and vomiting and profuse diarrhea with abdominal cramps. Symptoms may vary but the most common is a sudden discharge of watery diarrhea, up to one-liter (quart) lost per hour. Dehydration, rapid heart rate, dry skin or mouth, constant thirst, unusual tiredness and low urine flow are also some of its other symptoms. These are not usually accompanied by a fever.

The diagram above shows how the cholera can affect various parts of the body

Laboratory Diagnosis

Specimens: for cultures consist of mucus flecks from stools Smears: dark-field or phase contrast microscopy may show the rapidly motile vibrios. In stained filmscurved gram negative rods. Culture: in peptone agar with pH 9.9 Specific tests: using agglutination tests with anti-O group 1 antiserum and by biochemical reaction patterns.

Treatment

The most important part of the therapy consists of water and electrolyte replacement to correct the severe dehydration and salt depletion. In more severe cases of dehydration, fluids are given through the intravenous route.

Tetracycline is the favored drug of choice as it may lessen the symptom span, other effective antibiotics include doxycycline and cotrimoxazole. A cholera vaccine is available and can be recommended for traveler to foreign countries with cholera for temporary, limited protection, the vaccine is only effective for 3-6 months.

Prevention
The spread of cholera between society can be prevented by sanitation: better hygienic disposal of human excretions, good food hygiene, and safe drinking water.

Vibrio vulnificus

V. vulnificus is a species of Gram-negative, motile, curved, rod-shaped bacteria in the genus Vibrio. Present in marine environments such as estuaries, brackish ponds, or costal areas. The diagram shows a Falsecolor SEM image of the bacteria.

Symptoms and Clinical features

V. vulnificus causes an infection often incurred after eating seafood, especially oysters; the bacteria can also enter the body through open wounds when swimming or wading in infected waters, or via puncture wounds from the spines of fish such as tilapia. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and a blistering dermatitis. Severe symptoms and even death can occur if it enters the bloodstream- something more common in people with compromised immune systems or liver disease.

Wound debridement is indicated in patients with wound infection or septicemia caused by V. vulnificus. (wound debridement is the removing of non-living tissue from pressure ulcers, burns and other wounds) . Delay of wound debridement may lead to amputation

Laboratory diagnosis

The culturing of the organism from wounds, diarrheic stools or blood is used to diagnose the illness. The infective dose for gastrointestinal symptoms in healthy individuals is unknown, but for predisposed persons, septicemia can occur with doses less than 100 total organisms.

Treatment

V. vulnificus infection has a mortality rate of 50% with the majority of patients dying within the first 48hrs of infection. The optimal treatment is not known but the use of a third-generation cephalosporin and a tetracycline (e.g., ceftriaxone and doxycycline) were associated with an improved outcome.

Prevention

Avoid exposure of recent or healing wounds, cuts, punctures or burns, to warm seawater. Consumers in high-risk categories should avoid consumption of raw shellfish, particularly oysters, when eating them, be sure they are properly and thoroughly cooked. Avoid cross contamination of previously cooked shellfish with raw shellfish.

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