Hemolytic activity of and lethal toxin production by environmental strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Abstract

Repeated subculturing of Kanagawa-negative strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus on Wagatsuma agar induced the production of a hemolysin which was not the thermostable direct hemolysin. Crude hemolysin exhibited a 30 to 40% lethal toxicity in mice after intraperitoneal injection. A 21-kilodalton protein band was observed with all the environmental isolates in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Results suggested that a certain percentage of environmental strains of V. parahaemolyticus is responsible for pathogenesis.