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 vulnificus causes a variety of infections through contact with contaminated seawater. These can include intense skin lesions and myonecrosis for those handling shellfish and other marine wildlife, septicemia, and less frequently gastroenteritis. Infections can be quite severe and have led to amputation of limbs and death in debilitated and immunocompromised individuals.