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Assessment of evolution of pandemic Vibrio parahaemolyticus by multilocus sequence typing

Nandini Roy Chowdhury1, O Colin Stine, J Glenn Morris

  • 1National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Calcutta, India.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology
|March 9, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Pandemic Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains, including O3:K6, originated from a single clonal group. Genetic analysis revealed that these pandemic strains, regardless of serotype, share identical genetic profiles, supporting their common origin.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Genetics
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Vibrio parahaemolyticus O3:K6 emerged as a pandemic pathogen in 1996.
  • Subsequent pandemic strains included serotypes O1:KUT, O4:K68, and O1:K25.
  • Understanding the genetic relatedness of these strains is crucial for tracking and controlling outbreaks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the genetic relatedness of 81 Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates.
  • To determine the clonal origin of pandemic Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains.
  • To investigate the relationship between serotype and pandemic potential.

Main Methods:

  • Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was performed on 81 Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates.
  • Specific genes (gyrB, recA, dnaE, and gnd) were sequenced.
  • Allelic profiles (AP) were compared among isolates.

Main Results:

  • Pandemic Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains, irrespective of serotype, exhibited a clonal origin with 51 of 54 isolates sharing an identical allelic profile.
  • Pre-pandemic serogroups showed high genetic variability, with only O3:K6 isolates sharing alleles with pandemic strains.
  • Serotype alone was insufficient to define a pandemic strain; some O1:KUT strains with pandemic allelic profiles were identified, while others were not.

Conclusions:

  • Strong molecular evidence supports a clonal origin for pandemic Vibrio parahaemolyticus O3:K6.
  • Strains within a clonal group can acquire diverse serotypes, highlighting the limitations of serotyping for pandemic strain identification.
  • Genetic relatedness analysis, such as MLST, is essential for understanding pathogen evolution and spread.

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