Diarrhoeal outbreak of Vibrio cholerae 0139 from north India

Epidemics of cholera caused by Vibrio cholerae 01 occur regularly in India. Until recently, Vibrio cholerae non-01 have been the the causative agents of sporadic cases of gastroenteritis and septicaemia, especially in immunocompromised children. We describe a large outbreak of cholera-like illness from North India caused by Vibrio cholerae non-01, later serotyped as Vibrio cholerae 0139. Forty-one of a total of 391 patients with acute diarrhoea during a 2-month period (May-July 1993) were identified as having Vibrio cholerae in faecal samples. All patients were aged 1.5-12 years. Vibrio cholerae 0139 was isolated in 30 patients (73%-group I) and Vibrio cholerae 01 biotype eltor in 11 patients (27%-group II). The clinical presentation and severity of the cholera-like illness were similar to typical cholera. This strain is toxigenic with an epidemic potential and should be monitored carefully.