[25] Cytolytic toxins of Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio damsela☆

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the cytolytic toxins of Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio damsela . Prior to 1976, Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Vibrio alginolyticus were the only Vibrio species clearly demonstrated to be pathogenic for humans. The first two of these species are known to produce cytolytic toxins (“hemolysins”), and highly purified preparations of the toxins that are obtained by Japanese investigators to characterize the toxins and examine their possible importance in the pathogenesis of diseases caused by V. parahaemolyticus and V. cholerae . The chapter discusses the research area on biologically active products of V. vulnificus and V. damsela , two halophilic species that are unique in that they can cause rapidly progressing and life-threatening nonenteric diseases. Mouse-virulent strains of the bacteria produce large amounts of extracellular cytolytic toxins in vitro , and the chapter developes purification schemes for the toxins to characterize their properties and to examine their possible importance in the pathogenesis of diseases caused by V. vulnificus and V. damsela .