Hemolytic reaction of clinical and environmental strains of Vibrio vulnificus

All Vibrio vulnificus strains tested (four clinical isolates and eight environmental isolates) hemolyzed human erythrocytes. In contrast to findings with Vibrio parahaemolyticus, in which hemolytic activity correlates with isolation from clinical specimens, results from the present study suggest that hemolysis is not usefull in differentiating V. vulnificus strains.