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. 2008 Dec;14(12):1875-82.
doi: 10.3201/eid1412.080499.

Clinical characteristics and molecular subtyping of Vibrio vulnificus illnesses, Israel

Ronit Zaidenstein  1 , Chantal Sadik, Larisa Lerner, Lea Valinsky, June Kopelowitz, Ruth Yishai, Vered Agmon, Michele Parsons, Cheryl Bopp, Miriam Weinberger
Affiliations

Clinical characteristics and molecular subtyping of Vibrio vulnificus illnesses, Israel

Ronit Zaidenstein et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2008 Dec.

Abstract

During 1996–1997, a new Vibrio vulnificus biotype 3, which caused severe soft tissue infection after fishbone injury, emerged in Israel. We conducted a follow-up study from 1998 through 2005 to assess changing trends, outcomes, and molecular relatedness of the implicated strains. A total of 132 cases (71% confirmed and 29% suspected) of V. vulnificus biotype 3 infection were found. Most infections (95%) were related to percutaneous fish exposure, mainly tilapia (83%) or common carp (13%). Bacteremia, altered immune status, and history of ischemic heart disease were identified as independent risk factors for death, which reached a prevalence of 7.6%. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns of strains from 1998 through 2005 and from 1996 through 1997 showed a high degree of homogeneity and were distinct from those of V. vulnificus biotype 1. Infections caused by V. vulnificus biotype 3 continue affect the public’s health in Israel.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism of Vibrio vulnificus cytotoxin gene vvhA. A) PCR amplicon of vvhA gene restriction digested with B) PstI or C) KpnI. Gel shows molecular size standards (M) and V. vulnificus biotype 3 (lanes 1–3) and biotype 1 (lane 4).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Annual distribution of laboratory-confirmed and suspected Vibrio vulnificus biotype 3 infections.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Age distribution of patients with laboratory-confirmed and suspected Vibrio vulnificus biotype 3 infections.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Seasonality of Vibrio vulnificus biotype 3 illnesses, Israel, 1998–2005.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Dendogram comparing pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns of 25 Vibrio vulnificus biotype 3 isolates and a reference set of biotype 1 isolates when restricted with SfiI enzyme.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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