Bacteriology: Vibrio vulnificus: practice question

A Microbiology question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Microbiology · Bacteriology: Vibrio vulnificus

Sample item

A 58-year-old man with alcoholic cirrhosis develops fever, hypotension and haemorrhagic bullae on the leg 24 hours after eating raw oysters. Blood cultures grow a halophilic, curved Gram-negative bacillus. Which organism is most likely?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Vibrio vulnificus

Vibrio vulnificus, found in warm coastal waters and raw shellfish, causes fulminant septicaemia with haemorrhagic bullous skin lesions in people with chronic liver disease or iron overload, who have impaired clearance and excess free iron. V. cholerae causes watery diarrhoea and V. parahaemolyticus causes self-limited seafood gastroenteritis.

Option by option

  • A. Vibrio vulnificus (correct)

    Correct. Cirrhosis, raw oysters and haemorrhagic bullae with septicaemia are the classic picture.

  • B. Vibrio parahaemolyticus

    Vibrio parahaemolyticus usually causes self-limited gastroenteritis after seafood and rarely causes fulminant sepsis in cirrhotics.

  • C. Aeromonas hydrophila

    Aeromonas hydrophila causes freshwater wound infections and diarrhoea and is not halophilic.

  • D. Vibrio cholerae O1

    Vibrio cholerae O1 is not halophilic and causes secretory diarrhoea; bacteraemia with bullae is not its feature.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Microbiology question

What is the answer to this Microbiology question?

The best answer is A, Vibrio vulnificus. Vibrio vulnificus, found in warm coastal waters and raw shellfish, causes fulminant septicaemia with haemorrhagic bullous skin lesions in people with chronic liver disease or iron overload, who have impaired clearance and excess free iron.

Why is "Vibrio parahaemolyticus" not the answer?

Vibrio parahaemolyticus usually causes self-limited gastroenteritis after seafood and rarely causes fulminant sepsis in cirrhotics.

Why is "Aeromonas hydrophila" not the answer?

Aeromonas hydrophila causes freshwater wound infections and diarrhoea and is not halophilic.

Why is "Vibrio cholerae O1" not the answer?

Vibrio cholerae O1 is not halophilic and causes secretory diarrhoea; bacteraemia with bullae is not its feature.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Bacteriology: Vibrio vulnificus in Microbiology. V. cholerae causes watery diarrhoea and V. parahaemolyticus causes self-limited seafood gastroenteritis.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Bacteriology: Vibrio vulnificus?

Make a one-line identity card for each organism: shape and stain, defining test, toxin, disease and drug. Then use the flashcards and the other Microbiology questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.