EXPRESSION OF VIRULENCE-RELATED PROPERTIES BY, AND INTESTINAL ADHESIVENESS OF, VIBRIO-MIMICUS STRAINS ISOLATED FROM AQUATIC ENVIRONMENTS

A study of the major pathogenic characteristics of Vibrio mimicus was carried out with 77 strains isolated from aquatic environments in Okay ama, Japan, Of the strains tested, 96% demonstrated in vitro adherence to the rabbit intestinal mucosa, of which 36, 20, and 43% belonged to the strongly, moderately, and weakly adhesive groups, respectively. O f the 27 strains which appeared to be enterotoxigenic in the experimen ts using rabbit ileal loops, 74% belonged to the strongly adhesive gro up. All strains of V. mimicus at early log phase showed cell-mediated hemagglutination, and 70% of strongly hemagglutinative strains belonge d to the strongly adhesive group, implying a possible correlation betw een cell-mediated hemagglutination and bacterial adherence, However, n o significant correlation could be detected in the production of putat ive exocellular pathogenic factors and bacterial adherence or enteroto xigenicity.