Studies on adhesion, haemagglutination and other biological properties of Vibrio cholerae O139

The adhesive capabilities of eight Vibrio cholerae O139 epidemic strains to isolated rabbit intestinal epithelial cells (RIEC) were observed to be high similar to those observed with a Vibrio cholerae O1 strain isolated from patients. Toxin production by the strains, measured by accumulation of fluid in rabbit ileal loop model, was high and the toxin was lethal as the animal expired within 6 h. Culture filtrates of the strains exhibited the presence of vascular permeability factor which produce induration and necrosis in the adult rabbit and guinea pig skin. All the strains showed high to moderate haemagglutinin titres against chicken erythrocytes and produced El Tor-like haemolysin. SDS-PAGE of the outer membrane preparation of the strains showed the presence of major protein component at 38 kDa region. The lethality of the toxin, high adhesive activity, shifting of the major outer membrane protein band and production of thermolabile haemolysin on Wagatsuma agar were the major variations of these epidemic strains from V. cholerae O1 and V. cholerae non-O1 strains isolated previously.