Urease-positive Vibrio parahaemolyticus strain

An unusual strain of Vibrio parahaemolyticus was isolated from the site of a perforated appendix. This was the first reported case in which the vibrios demonstrated a positive urease reaction. In other respects, the strain conformed to the general characteristics of V. parahaemolyticus. It was susceptible to chloramphenicol, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, tetracycline, neomycin, triple sulpha, gentamicin, and polymyxin B and produced the "Kanagawa phenomenon". However, its role as a causative pathogen of the diarrhea of the patient was debatable.