Eric Zamora Photography

Vibrio vulnificus infections in humans can be very serious, and life threatening disease is often associated with consumption of raw oysters. Our research investigates the interactions of this bacterium with these molluscan shellfish. We specifically deleted to (I think she meant “two”) bacterial genes required for expression of structures such as polysaccharides, pili, and flagella, and developed an oyster model of infection to investigate their role in uptake and survival in oysters. This picture illustrates that colonies of the mutant strains (green plates with very few yellow colonies are recovered at significantly lower numbers compared to wild type bacteria (many yellow colonies), following infection studies. We are currently investigating natural compounds that may also interfere with this process and will use the research to develop novel post-harvest technology that will reduce the public health risk associated with oysters.

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Filename: Zamora-20090116-vibrio-vulnificus-shellfish-research-1321.jpg
Image Size: 3888x2592 / 5.3MB; www.ericzamora.com; EPI Emerging Pathogens Institute External Media Relations Florida Gators ICS IFAS IFAS Communication Services Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences UF University of Florida college college education commercial photography freelance higher education research science university vibrios
Contained in galleries: Humanity-Science, Humanity-Food

Vibrio vulnificus infections in humans can be very serious, and life threatening disease is often associated with consumption of raw oysters. Our research investigates the interactions of this bacterium with these molluscan shellfish. We specifically deleted to (I think she meant “two”) bacterial genes required for expression of structures such as polysaccharides, pili, and flagella, and developed an oyster model of infection to investigate their role in uptake and survival in oysters. This picture illustrates that colonies of the mutant strains (green plates with very few yellow colonies are recovered at significantly lower numbers compared to wild type bacteria (many yellow colonies), following infection studies. We are currently investigating natural compounds that may also interfere with this process and will use the research to develop novel post-harvest technology that will reduce the public health risk associated with oysters.