[Molecular analysis on non-O1 and non-O139 Vibrio cholerae isolates]

According to results from the two-month consecutive surveillance program in Maanshan, six suspected cases of non-O1 non-O139 Vibrio (V.) cholerae infection, were found that called for identification of pathogens as well as molecular-epidemiological analysis to determine the aggregation of the epidemic situation.

Biochemical and serotype identification, hemolysis test, and drug sensitive test were used to detect the drug resistance spectrum. Real-time PCR and conventional PCR were used to detect the presence of V. cholerae specific genes, virulent genes and its related genes, including ompW, ctx, tcpA, toxR, hlyA, zot, ace, rstR and gIII(CTX). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was used to analyze the molecular type of strains.

All the six isolates of non-O1 non-O139 V. cholerae were identified by biochemical and serologic tests, and appeared to be β hemolytic. Twelve out of the 14 kinds of drugs showed 100% sensitive. All isolates were positive of ompW gene by real-time PCR, but negative for ctx, tcpA, zot, ace, rstR and gIII(CTX). Five of the six isolates were positive for toxR and hlyA, except for strain 1001434446. All strains had different PFGE types, but two strains had similar types. All strains had a low similarity compared to the toxigenic V. cholerae.

Six cases of non-O1 and non-O139 nontoxigenic V. cholerae infection appeared in the same period. Along with epidemiological information, we noticed that these cases had a sporadic nature, but frequently appeared in the same area. We got the impression that public health measurements should be strengthened, with special attention paid to those diarrhea outbreaks caused by non-O1/non-O139 strains since V. cholerae had appeared in low incidence.