Vibrio harveyi

a significant pathogen of marine vertebrates and invertebrates

Austin, B.
Zhang, X-H.

¹ School of Life Sciences, John Muir Building, Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton, Edinburgh, UK
² Department of Marine Biology, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China

Correspondence Brian Austin, School of Life Sciences, John Muir Building, Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK. E-mail: [email protected]

2006/0765: received 29 May 2006, revised and accepted 1 June 2006

Letters in Applied Microbiology 43(2):p 119-124, August 2006.

Vibrio harveyi, which now includes Vibrio carchariae as a junior synonym, is a serious pathogen of marine fish and invertebrates, particularly penaeid shrimp. In fish, the diseases include vasculitis, gastro-enteritis and eye lesions. With shrimp, the pathogen is associated with luminous vibriosis and Bolitas negricans. Yet, the pathogenicity mechanisms are imprecisely understood, with likely mechanisms involving the ability to attach and form biofilms, quorum sensing, various extracellular products including proteases and haemolysins, lipopolysaccharide, and interaction with bacteriophage and bacteriocin-like substances.