Molecular epidemiology of Vibrio cholerae O1 isolates from Colombia

A total of 173 Vibrio cholerae O1 isolates from the recent cholera epidemic in Colombia was analysed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the genes encoding the A subunit of cholera toxin (ctxA) and the zonula occludens toxin (zot), and by ribotyping. All isolates were positive for ctx A and zot, which was confirmed by hybridisation. Ribotyping with restriction endonuclease Bg/I digestion of total DNA revealed three ribotypes: B5a comprising 165 (96.4%) isolates, and two new designated ribotypes B20 and B21a in six (3.5%) isolates and two (1.1%) isolates, respectively. These findings have significant public health implications.