BIOCHEMICAL AND SEROLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF VIBRIO-ANGUILLARUM RELATED ORGANISMS

This work reports on the phenotypic and serological characterization o f Vibrio anguillarum related (VAR) organisms isolated from diseased fi sh, shellfish, and from the environment in different geographical area s. Reference strains of V. anguillarum (serotypes 01 to 010) and V. sp lendidus (biotype I) were included for comparison. On the basis of num erical taxonomy analysis the strains were grouped in 4 phena, with sim ilarity levels among them ranging from 77.6 to 86.8% and levels of int ernal similarity ranging from 84.1 to 86.8%. The serological analysis demonstrated that 22 of 45 (49 %) VAR strains were typeable, being dis tributed into 7 O-serogroups (A, B, C, D, E, F, G). Six of these serog roups (A, B, C, D, F, and G) were recognized among 21 VAR strains isol ated from diseased fish. Serotypes C and F were the predominant types among strains isolated from diseased turbot and cod, respectively. No dominating environmental serotype was found. Moreover, it was found th at only serogroup F constituted a heterogeneous group with regard to p henotypic and serological characteristics.