The role of iron as a possible pathogenic factor in the infection of V. vulnificus was examined in this paper. The effects of iron and CCl_4 on the growth of V. vulnificus in human and rabbit sera were also done. Injection of iron to mice resulted in a lowering of the 50% lethal dose and in a reduction in the time of death postinfection. Serum iron levels were also elevated by damaged livers with infections of CCl_4. The inoculum size required to kill these mice was directly correlated with serum iron levels. Iron appeared to be the limiting factor in the ability of this organism to survive or grow in mammalian sera. These results, both in vitro and in vivo, provided strong evidence that iron may play a major role in the pathogenesis of V. vulnificus.

• Heung-Jai Park(Dept. of Environmental Science, Inje Univ.)
• Bong-Hun Lee(Dept. of Chemistry, Pusan National Univ.)