[Viability of Vibrio cholerae O1 in different types of water under experimental conditions]

The endemic and seasonal nature of cholera depends upon the survival of Vibrio cholerae O1 in a viable but not necessarily culturable state in ecological niches in aquatic environments during inter-epidemic periods, and investigation on the survival of this microorganism in such sites is therefore of the utmost importance. Weekly water aliquots were thus taken from 2 ponds and 2 rivers in the State of Rio de Janeiro. The samples were divided into two identical portions, one of which was autoclaved. A standardized dilution of V. cholerae O1 Inaba and of V. cholerae O1 Ogawa was inoculated in three aliquots of 100ml of these different water samples and maintained at different temperatures. Survival of the microorganisms in the aquatic environment under these different conditions was then analyzed. Regardless of the serotype, V. cholerae serogroup O1 survived in water with salinity below 0.5 per mil and at different temperatures for sufficient periods to spread through "bodies of water", demonstrating the need to constantly monitor areas of possible contamination, especially where the water is used for drinking, thus avoiding spread of the disease to surrounding populations.