Epidemiologic Study of Vibrio vulnificus Infections by Using Variable Number Tandem Repeats

A 3-year environmental and clinical Vibrio vulnificus survey using simple-sequence repeats typing shows that V. vulnificus biotype 3 constitutes approximate to 21% of the bacterium population in tested aquaculture ponds as opposed to approximate to 86% of clinical cases. Simple-sequence repeats proved to be a useful epidemiologic tool, providing information on the environmental source of the pathogen.