Two People Are Brought to the Emergency Department Where You

Two people are brought to the Emergency Department where you work. The first patient reports fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. The second patient appears extremely ill. Her family tells you that she also had gastrointestinal signs and symptoms a few days ago. She has now developed severe skin blistering, has a very high fever and is only semi-conscious. When you question the first patient and the family of the second patient, you discover that they know each other and that they have all recently returned from a beach vacation in a major city on the U.S. Gulf Coast. The group tells you that the enjoyed a raw oyster dinner on the last day of their summer vacation. They think that both patients are probably just allergic to seafood, but given the severity of the signs and symptoms of your patients, you suspect that they may have Vibrio vulnificus infection. Lab tests confirm your suspicion. You give the families information on this disease.
-People with chronic liver disease frequently have elevated levels of iron in their blood. Iron is needed by V. vulnificus for growth. How does it acquire iron from the host?

A) V. vulnificus produces siderophores that allow it to scavenge iron.
B) V. vulnificus produces a hemolysin that lyses blood cells to release iron-containing hemoglobin.
C) V. vulnificus produces a hemolysin that lyses blood cells to release iron-containing hemoglobin AND it produces siderophores that allow it to scavenge iron.
D) V. vulnificus produces a hemolysin that lyses white blood cells to release iron-containing hemoglobin AND it produces transferrins that allow it to scavenge iron.
E) V. vulnificus produces a hemolysin that lyses white blood cells to release iron-containing hemoglobin AND it produces lactoferrins that allow it to scavenge iron.