Vibrio parahaemolyticus Septicemia

To the Editor.  —In the March 1974 issue of the Archives, Zide et al reported on a patient with fatal fulminating septicemia caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus.¹ Erythema multiforme, hemolytic anemia, and hypotension were outstanding clinical manifestations. Additional studies ofCharacteristics of Halophilic Vibrio Species Characteristic Case Isolate V parahaemolyticus V alginolyticus Fermentation Lactose Sucrose Voges Proskauer Sodium chloride tolerance <8% >8% <10% >10% the halophilic microorganism isolated from this patient have shown characteristics that distinguish it from strains of V parahaemolyticus causing gastroenteritis, and from the subgroup 2 of V parahaemolyticus,² now designated as V alginolyticus. This culture and 33 similar cultures that have been referred to the Special Bacteriology Section of the Center for Disease Control can be differentiated from V parahaemolyticus and V alginolyticus on the basis of fermentation of lactose (The lactose reaction on the isolate from the patient reported by Zide et al was not