pilF Polymorphism-Based PCR To Distinguish Vibrio vulnificus Strains Potentially Dangerous to Public Health.

Vibrio vulnificus is a heterogeneous species that comprises strains virulent and avirulent for humans and fish, and it is grouped into three biotypes. In this report, we describe a PCR-based methodology that allows both the species identification and discrimination of those isolates that could be considered dangerous to public health. Discrimination is based on the amplification of a variable region located within the gene piIF, which seems to be associated with potential human pathogenicity, regardless of the biotype of the strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]