Research progress on the diagnosis and treatment of vibrio vulnificus infection

HONG Lvrong; ZHANG Danfang; LIN Wenhai; XIE Paize

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1674-8468.2026.02.011

Abstract：Vibrio vulnificus is a Gram-negative bacterium that inhabits warm seawater,and the wound infections it causes are characterized by critical severity and rapid progression,with an ex-tremely high mortality rate.The clinical manifestations are diverse and can rapidly progress from localized wound infections to necrotizing fasciitis or even fatal sepsis.Current standard treatment emphasizes multidisciplinary collaboration and early intervention,with diagnosis requiring a com-bination of epidemiological history,typical clinical manifestations,and laboratory and imaging ex-aminations.The key to treatment lies in early and adequate empirical antibiotic therapy,which in-cludes the use of third-generation cephalosporins combined with tetracyclines,along with prompt and thorough surgical debridement.In the face of challenges such as antibiotic resistance,emer-ging therapies,including phage therapy,monoclonal antibodies targeting RtxA1 toxins,topically applied nano-silver dressings,and antimicrobial peptides,show great potential.This article sys-tematically reviews the latest progress in the diagnosis and treatment of Vibrio vulnificus infection,covering its pathogenic characteristics,clinical manifestations,and the latest diagnostic and thera-peutic methods.Future research directions include the development of rapid bedside diagnostic technologies,optimization of individualized dosing regimens,and the promotion of clinical transla-tion of novel antimicrobial strategies.Establishing an integrated management system that combines rapid diagnosis,precise debridement,rational drug use,and cutting-edge adjuvant therapies will be central to improve patient outcomes.