Halophilic vibrios from human tissue infections on the pacific coast of Australia

Inshore sea waters harbour a variety of halophilic bacteria which increase in the warmer seasons. Ten Vibrio alginolyticus, 3 V. parahaemolyticus and 3 lactose-fermenting (L +) strains of vibrio were isolated in 3 yr from wound and ear infections, salpingitis and sputum in 2 coastal towns; 14 isolations were in summer. Clinically the cases resembled ordinary pyogenic infections. The API 20E kit and determination of NaCl tolerance permitted identification of the strains with reasonable confidence. Only a few characteristics were essential for presumptive identification.