MOLECULAR STUDY OF Vibrio vulnificus

Vibrio vulnificus is a gram-negative bacterium and abundant in the environment. It can be isolated from water, sediments, fish, and shellfishes. V. vulnificus infections can cause health problems including septicemia and gastroenteritis, while wound infections are resulting from the exposure of contaminated seawater with this bacterium. The objectives of this study were to determine the presence and characterize V. vulnificus isolates from cockles (Anadara granosa) and clams (Mercenaria mercenaria) purchased from wet markets in Malaysia and Qatar, Characterization of the V. vulnificus isolates were conducted using a phenotypic antibiogram analysis (antibiotic resistance patterns) and a genotypic analysis by Random amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR), Enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-PCR (ERIC-PCR) and plasmid profiling. The presence of V. vulnificus in the cockle and clam samples should attract the attention of public health authorities to monitor the cockles and clams in order to prevent food-borne infection by this pathogenic bacterium.