This organism is a small, motile, facultatively anaerobic Gram-negative straight or curved bacillus. Members of Vibrio spp. are not fastidious organisms and grow well at 37 C on standard media commonly used to cultivate and isolate enteric organisms. Unlike Campylobacter species, Vibrios are able to metabolize a variety of sugars but usually do not produce gas. Strains can be halotolerant or halophilic, with some requiring 3% NaCl for normal growth.
Reservoirs for these organisms include contaminated water or foods, and especially waters and foods associated with shellfish. Vibrio mimicus causes diarrhea most commonly from ingestion of raw oysters. Symptoms mimic those from a case of cholera, with lower mortality rate. Symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, cramps, fever, and watery/bloody diarrhea, and the infection resolves in 5-7 days.