PHENOTYPIC AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF V. VULNIFI-CUS STRAINS FROM THE ADRIATIC SEA

Vibrio vulnificus, is an ubiquitous marine bacterium responsible of human food-borne disease and wound infection. Notwithstanding the great severity of the cases of septicaemia (with up to 50% of mortality), the incidence of disease is relatively low, probably as a consequence of different virulence characteristics of the strains. At present V. vulnificus is divided into three distinct biotypes (BT): BT1 and BT3 strains cause human disease, while B2 strains infects primarily eels. The present study represent a first attempt to investigate the complete characterization of environmental strains isolated from molluscan shellfish of the North-West Adriatic Sea.