Skip to main content
PMC home page
Infection and Immunity logoLink to Infection and Immunity
. 1975 May;11(5):890–897. doi: 10.1128/iai.11.5.890-897.1975

Motility as a virulence factor for Vibrio cholerae.

M N Guentzel, L J Berry
PMCID: PMC415153  PMID: 1091563

Abstract

The ability of motile strains of the Ogawa and Inaba serotypes of classical Vibrio cholerae and of the El Tor biotypes to kill suckling mice after oral challenge with 10-8 colony-forming units (representing at least 100 to 1,000 minimal lethal doses) was compared to that of nonmotile derivatives of the same strains. Loss of motility, in each case, resulted in a marked reduction in virulence. The mortality (at 36 h) caused by 10 of the 13 nonmotile strains was 32% or less. whereas the motile wild-type strains resulted in nearly 100% deaths. The reduced virulence of the nonmotile strains was associated with reduced capacity to adsorb to the surface of segments of mouse intestine. The mutants were tested for alterations in enterotoxin production and surface properties. The results suggest that motility may contribute to virulence by increasing the chance for association of the vibrios with the intestinal mucosa.

Full text

PDF
890

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Basu S., Mukerjee S. Bacteriophage typing of Vibrio eltor. Experientia. 1968 Mar 15;24(3):299–300. doi: 10.1007/BF02152832. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Callahan L. T., 3rd, Ryder R. C., Richardson S. H. Biochemistry of vibrio cholerae virulence. II. Skin permeability factor-cholera enterotoxin production in a chemically defined medium. Infect Immun. 1971 Nov;4(5):611–618. doi: 10.1128/iai.4.5.611-618.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Freter R. Mechanism of Action of Intestinal Antibody in Experimental Cholera II. Antibody-Mediated Antibacterial Reaction at the Mucosal Surface. Infect Immun. 1970 Nov;2(5):556–562. doi: 10.1128/iai.2.5.556-562.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Freter R. Parameters affecting the association of vibrios with the intestinal surface in experimental cholera. Infect Immun. 1972 Aug;6(2):134–141. doi: 10.1128/iai.6.2.134-141.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Fubara E. S., Freter R. Protection against enteric bacterial infection by secretory IgA antibodies. J Immunol. 1973 Aug;111(2):395–403. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Guentzel M. N., Berry L. J. Protection of suckling mice from experimental cholera by maternal immunization: comparison of the efficacy of whole-cell, ribosomal-derived, and enterotoxin immunogens. Infect Immun. 1974 Jul;10(1):167–172. doi: 10.1128/iai.10.1.167-172.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Jones G. W., Rutter J. M. Role of the K88 antigen in the pathogenesis of neonatal diarrhea caused by Escherichia coli in piglets. Infect Immun. 1972 Dec;6(6):918–927. doi: 10.1128/iai.6.6.918-927.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. LANKFORD C. E. Factors of virulence of Vibrio cholerae. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1960 Nov 21;88:1203–1212. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1960.tb20111.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. LEIFSON E. Staining, shape and arrangement of bacterial flagella. J Bacteriol. 1951 Oct;62(4):377–389. doi: 10.1128/jb.62.4.377-389.1951. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Miller C. E., Wong K. H., Feeley J. C., Forlines M. E. Immunological conversion of Vibrio chorlerae in gnotobiotic mice. Infect Immun. 1972 Nov;6(5):739–742. doi: 10.1128/iai.6.5.739-742.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. NEWMAN F. S., EISENSTARK A. PHAGE-HOST RELATIONSHIPS IN VIBRIO CHOLERAE. J Infect Dis. 1964 Jun;114:217–225. doi: 10.1093/infdis/114.3.217. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Peterson J. W., LoSpalluto J. J., Finkelstein R. A. Localization of cholera toxin in vivo. J Infect Dis. 1972 Dec;126(6):617–628. doi: 10.1093/infdis/126.6.617. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Sack R. B., Miller C. E. Progressive changes of Vibrio serotypes in germ-free mice infected with Vibrio cholerae. J Bacteriol. 1969 Sep;99(3):688–695. doi: 10.1128/jb.99.3.688-695.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Schrank G. D., Stager C. E., Verwey W. F. Differential medium for Vibrio cholerae. Infect Immun. 1973 May;7(5):827–829. doi: 10.1128/iai.7.5.827-829.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Walsh J. H., Yalow R., Berson S. A. Detection of Australia antigen and antibody by means of radioimmunoassay techniques. J Infect Dis. 1970 May;121(5):550–554. doi: 10.1093/infdis/121.5.550. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Infection and Immunity are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES