Characterization and growth conditions of Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains with different virulence degrees that cause acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease in Litopenaeus vannamei

The phenotypic characteristics and growth kinetics at several temperatures, salinities, and pH values of three Vibrio parahaemolyticus (Vp) strains with different virulence and one nonpathogenic strain were evaluated. Independent of the virulence of the strain, a high metabolic diversity was found, which yielded different colored phenotypes on the CHROMagar™ Vibrio. All strains were resistant to ampicillin and carbenicillin, and Vp AHPND+ organisms were the most sensitive to enrofloxacin. The exponential growth of Vp strains started at 1–2 hr of incubation, although no relationship was observed between the bacterial density and degree of virulence. Moreover, the growth of the most virulent strain was independent of the nutrients in the incubation media during the initial hour postinoculation. No strain grew at 4°C in 0% NaCl and pH 4, but only Vp AHPND+ grew at 44°C. For all strains, the lag phase was proportional to the NaCl concentration, and the growth was better at pH 8–9. However, the Vp AHPND− strain displayed a greater variability, was more sensitive to extreme conditions, and showed a lag phase of 9 hr independent of the pH.