Incidence of non-cholera vibrios in Hungary

In the period 1971 to 1976, 200 non-cholera vibrio (NCV) strains were isolated in Hungary; 18 of the cultures were derived from 34 729 faecal and 182 from 237 surface water samples. Ninety-two strains belonged to the Heiberg-Smith group I and 108 to group II. Two strains failed to give the string test and 3 were pteridine resistant. The strains were classified into 48 serotypes according to Smith's system. Faecal NCV strains belonged to serotypes 46 and 328; these serotypes did not occur in water. Of the 18 faecal strains 13 were isolated from 18 048 persons who had travelled in cholera-infected areas, and 5 strains from persons who had never left Hungary (2 from 4559 patients with diarrhoea and 3 from 6061 healthy individuals). These data indicate that although NCV are present in the environment, they play an insignificant role in enteric infections in Hungary.