Viability of Vibrio vulnificus in association with hemocytes of the American Oyster (Crassostrea virginica)

Measurement of extracellular viability and intracellular viability of opaque and translucent colonial Vibrio vulnificus associated with phagocytic oyster hemocytes reveals that the levels of phagocytosis and bactericidal degradation of the opaque isolates are lower than those of the translucent morphotype. Encapsulation plays a role in the resistance to hemocytes-induced ingestion and degradation. V. cholerae and E. coli exhibit higher rates of intracellular death compared to the opaque V. vulnificus isolate. V. vulnificus-inoculated hemocyte monolayers exhibit similar levels of lysozyme activity and acid phosphatase activity.