wildlife and zoo assay data sheet

Vibrio

Test code: B0083 - Ultrasensitive qualitative detection of Vibrio bacteria by real time polymerase chain reaction. This assay detects but does not differentiate V. alginolyticus, V. parahaemolyticus, V. anguillarum, V. cholerae, V. furnissii, V. vulnificus, V. harveyi.

Vibrio is a genus of curved rod-shaped gram negative bacteria that includes several pathogenic species. Most Vibrio bacteria inhabit saltwater, though some species are also found in brackish or fresh water.  They are facultative anaerobes that test positive for oxidase and do not form spores. All members of the genus are motile with polar flagella.

Vibrio bacteria pathogenic to humans include V. cholerae (the causative agent of cholera), V. parahaemolyticus, and V. vulnificus. Infection with V. cholerae is usually a result of drinking contaminated water, whereas infections with V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus are usually caused by eating undercooked contaminated seafood. Although V. parahaemolyticus is the most common noncholera Vibrio species reported to cause illness in humans, V. vulnificus is associated with up to 94% of noncholera Vibrio infection-related deaths. Human infection with these bacteria usually causes gastroenteritis but Vibrio species can also infect open wounds and cause septicemia. Severe infections can be fatal.

Several Vibrio species can cause diseases in a range of animal species.  Marine crustaceans and fish can be carriers of various Vibrio species. Vibrio infections can spread rapidly through aquaculture facilities and can result in significant mortality.

In the past, conventional detection of Vibrio bacteria relied on isolation procedures by growing the bacteria in enrichment broth followed by plating on selective media. The process is laborious and time consuming. Furthermore, the biochemical properties of Vibrio species are similar to those of other bacteria such as Aeromonas species; this has often made unambiguous isolation of Vibrio difficult. On the other hand, detection of Vibrio bacteria by PCR is rapid and sensitive (Maheshwari et al., 2011).

Utilities:

• Help confirm the disease causing agent
• Shorten the time required to confirm a clinical diagnosis of Vibrio
• Help ensure that animals and facilities are free of Vibrio
• Early prevention of spread of Vibrio
• Minimize human exposure to Vibrio
• Safety monitoring of biological products that derive from susceptible animals

References:
Maheshwari, M., Krishnaiah, N. and Ramana, D.B.V. (2011) Evaluation of polymerase chain reaction for the detection of Vibrio cholerae in contaminants. Annals Biol. Res., 2:212-217.

Specimen requirements: 0.2 ml of blood collected in EDTA (purple top) or ACD (yellow top), or 0.2 ml fresh, frozen or fixed tissue, or wound swab, feces, water sample, bacterial culture, food sample

Contact Zoologix if advice is needed to determine an appropriate specimen type for a specific diagnostic application. For specimen types not listed here, please contact Zoologix to confirm specimen acceptability and shipping instructions.

For all specimen types, if there will be a delay in shipping, or during very warm weather, refrigerate specimens until shipped and ship with a cold pack unless more stringent shipping requirements are specified. Frozen specimens should be shipped so as to remain frozen in transit. See shipping instructions for more information.

Turnaround time: 2 business days

Methodology: Qualitative real time polymerase chain reaction

Normal range: Nondetected