Ecological fitness and virulence features of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in estuarine environments

• Published in: Applied microbiology and biotechnology Vol. 101; no. 5; pp. 1781 - 1794
• Main Author: Lovell, Charles R.
• Format: Journal Article Book Review
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-03-2017; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Aquatic ecosystems; Aquatic life; Aquatic Organisms - pathogenicity; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Bacterial Toxins - metabolism; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Climate change; Ecological adaptation; Ecology; Ecosystem; Ecosystems; Energy sources; Epidemics; Estuaries; Estuarine ecosystems; Estuarine environments; Food contamination; Food contamination & poisoning; Food poisoning; Foodborne Diseases - microbiology; Foodborne Diseases - pathology; Geographical distribution; Global climate; Hemolysin Proteins - metabolism; Humans; Infections; Life Sciences; Marine ecosystems; Microbial Genetics and Genomics; Microbiology; Mini-Review; Organic carbon; Outbreaks; Pandemics; Pathogens; Salinity; Seafood; Sepsis; Studies; Temperature; Type III Secretion Systems - physiology; Vibrio Infections - microbiology; Vibrio Infections - pathology; Vibrio parahaemolyticus; Vibrio parahaemolyticus - pathogenicity; Virulence; Virulence (Microbiology); Virulence Factors; Water column; Zooplankton; Pandemic; Ecology; Emergent virulence; Virulence; Vibrio parahaemolyticus
• ISSN: 0175-7598; 1432-0614
• DOI: 10.1007/s00253-017-8096-9

Vibrio parahaemolyticus
is a commonly encountered and highly successful organism in marine ecosystems. It is a fast-growing, extremely versatile copiotroph that is active over a very broad range of conditions. It frequently occurs suspended in the water column (often attached to particles or zooplankton), and is a proficient colonist of submerged surfaces. This organism is an important pathogen of animals ranging from microcrustaceans to humans and is a causative agent of seafood-associated food poisoning. This review examines specific ecological adaptations of
V. parahaemolyticus
, including its broad tolerances to temperature and salinity, its utilization of a wide variety of organic carbon and energy sources, and its pervasive colonization of suspended and stationary materials that contribute to its success and ubiquity in temperate and tropical estuarine ecosystems. Several virulence-related features are examined, in particular the thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH), the TDH-related hemolysin (TRH), and the type 3 secretion system, and the possible importance of these features in
V. parahaemolyticus
pathogenicity is explored. The impact of new and much more effective PCR primers on
V. parahaemolyticus
detection and our views of virulent strain abundance are also described. It is clear that strains carrying the canonical virulence genes are far more common than previously thought, which opens questions regarding the role of these genes in pathogenesis. It is also clear that virulence is an evolving feature of
V. parahaemolyticus
and that novel combinations of virulence factors can lead to emergent virulence in which a strain that is markedly more pathogenic evolves and propagates to produce an outbreak. The effects of global climate change on the frequency of epidemic disease, the geographic distribution of outbreaks, and the human impacts of
V. parahaemolyticus
are increasing and this review provides information on why this ubiquitous human pathogen has increased its footprint and its significance so dramatically.