Inter-Research > DAO > v86 > n2 > p113-122  
DAO
Diseases of Aquatic Organisms

via Mailchimp

DAO 86:113-122 (2009)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/dao02119

Shrimp pathogenicity, hemolysis, and the presence of hemolysin and TTSS genes in Vibrio harveyi isolated from Thailand

Pimonsri Rattanama1,2, Kanchana Srinitiwarawong1, Janelle R. Thompson3, Rattanaruji Pomwised1, Kidchakarn Supamattaya4, Varaporn Vuddhakul1,*

1Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, 90112 Songkhla, Thailand
2Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, 90112 Songkhla, Thailand
3Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 15 Vassar Street, Cambridge,Massachusetts 02139, USA
4Department of Aquatic Animal Science, Faculty of Natural Resources, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, 90112 Songkhla, Thailand
*Corresponding author. Email:

ABSTRACT: The virulence factors of Vibrio harveyi, the causative agent of luminous vibriosis, are not completely understood. We investigated the correlations between shrimp mortality, hemolysis, the presence of a hemolysin gene (vhh), and a gene involved in the type III secretion system (the Vibrio calcium response gene vcrD). V. harveyi HY01 was isolated from a shrimp that died from vibriosis, and 36 other V. harveyi isolates were obtained from fish and shellfish in Hat Yai city, Thailand. An ocean isolate of V. harveyi BAA-1116 was also included. Thirteen isolates including V. harveyi HY01 caused shrimp death 12 h after injection. Most V. harveyi isolates in this group (designated as Group A) caused hemolysis on prawn blood agar. None of the shrimp died after injection with V. harveyi BAA-1116. Molecular analysis of all V. harveyi isolates revealed the presence of vcrD in both pathogenic and non-pathogenic strains. Although vhh was detected in all V. harveyi isolates, some isolates did not cause hemolysis, indicating that vhh gene expression might be regulated. Analysis of the V. harveyi HY01 genome revealed a V. cholerae like-hemolysin gene, hlyA (designated as hhl). Specific primers designed for hhl detected this gene in 3 additional V. harveyi isolates but the presence of this gene was not correlated with pathogenicity. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis revealed a high degree of genetic diversity in all V. harveyi isolates, and there were no correlations among the hhl-positive isolates or the pathogenic strains.


KEY WORDS: Vibrio harveyi · Type III secretion system · TTSS · vcrD · vhh · hhl · Random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis · RAPD


Full text in pdf format
Cite this article as: Rattanama P, Srinitiwarawong K, Thompson JR, Pomwised R, Supamattaya K, Vuddhakul V (2009) Shrimp pathogenicity, hemolysis, and the presence of hemolysin and TTSS genes in Vibrio harveyi isolated from Thailand. Dis Aquat Org 86:113-122. https://doi.org/10.3354/dao02119

Export citation
Share:    Facebook - - linkedIn

 Previous article Next article