Pathogenic Vibrio spp. Isolated from the Gwangan Beach of Busan in 2003

A total of 52 pathogenic Vibrio strains was isolated from the Gwangan Beach during summer in 2003. The isolated vibrios were composed of 6 different species: V. parahaemolyticus, V. cholerae non O1, V. fluvialis, V. vulnificus, V. alginolyticus, and V. mimicus. V. parahaemolyticus was most predominant as $46\%$ (24/52), V. cholerae non O1 was the second with $23\%$ (12/52), and V. fluvialis was the third with $17\%$ (9/52). Among the isolated strains, 22 strains showed hemolytic, proteolytic or ureolytic activity. Eight strains showed both hemolysin and protease activities, and either 6 strains showed only hemolysin activities and 7 strains only protease activities. Only one strain of V. parahaemolyticus isolates showed urease activity. The urease-positive V. parahaemolyticus strain (V. parahaemolyticus S25) showed the same biochemical characteristics as the reference strain, V. parahaemolyticus KCTC 2471 (urease­negative) except for urease production. To compare the degree of virulence of Vibrio strains having different pathogenic factors, hemolysin, protease, or urease-positive strains were injected into groups of 10 each of ICR mice (7- to l0-week-old male). The lethal rate of urease-positive V. parahaemolyticus S25 was significantly high, being $70\%$. Protease-positive strains showed $40-60\%$ of lethal rate. Hemolysin-positive strains showed no mortality, similar to non-pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus KCTC 2471 and V. parahaemolyticus FM12.