Outbreak of Cholera Caused by <i>Vibrio cholerae</i> O1 El Tor Variant Strain in Bihar, India

Abstract

SUMMARY: An outbreak of cholera struck Bihar, an Indian state, in August 2008 following a massive flood. Here we report the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of Vibrio cholerae strains isolated from patients with diarrhea. Rectal swabs were obtained from patients with diarrhea who were admitted to medical camps or the hospital, and the strains were biochemically and serologically characterized. V. cholerae was isolated from 21 (65.6z) of 32 rectal swabs. Serological studies revealed that all the 21 isolates belonged to V. cholerae O1 Ogawa. Mismatch amplification mutation assay (MAMA)-PCR showed that the isolates belonged to El Tor variant group, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) proved that these isolates were of a different lineage than the conventional El Tor variant strains. These isolates were resistant to several drugs, including ampicillin, streptomycin, tetracycline, nalidixic acid, and furazolidone. The uniqueness of the current report arises from the fact that records of cholera in Bihar are availiable for the early 1960s but not for the next 4 decades. Moreover, the present study is the first to report a cholera outbreak in Bihar that was caused by an El Tor variant strain.

<i>Vibrio cholerae</i> O1 Ogawa Strains Carrying the <i>ctxB7</i> Allele Caused a Large Cholera Outbreak during 2014 in the Tribal Areas of Odisha, India

“…The ctxB7 variant V. cholerae O1 was first reported from the tribal areas of Odisha, India, during 2007 (6,13). These HCT variant strains of V. cholerae O1 were also reported from the Maharashtra (14) and Bihar states of India during 2012 (15). The present study was envisaged to document the causative agent of the large cholera outbreak during July to September 2014 in samples of obtained from the Narla block of the Kalahandi district of Odisha.…”

“…These strains have been reported as the causative pathogens of outbreaks in several regions of India, including Odisha, Chennai, Hyderabad, Solapur, and Assam (20)(21)(22). The HCT-producing variants of V. cholerae were reported for the first time from the cholera outbreak in Odisha during 2007, later from Haiti during 2010, and subsequently from Asia and Africa (15,16). A few reports have described the isolation of HCT-producing variant V. cholerae O1 strain or the identification of this strain as the causative pathogen of small outbreaks from West Bengal, Bihar, and southern India (6,13,14).…”

Understanding the Impact of Rainfall on Diarrhea: Testing the Concentration-Dilution Hypothesis Using a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…(1) Yes (2) Unable to test (1a) These associations were strongest for bacterial and all-cause diarrhea (1b) The strongest positive associations were 4-7 days after flood events (2) Studies often did not report the length of flood events in the literature 26 articles (Abu and Codjoe 2018, Cash et al 2014, Cesa et al 2016, Colston et al 2020, Deilami et al 2017, Fredrick et al 2015Gao et al 2016, Gertler et al 2015, Gong et al 2019, Jones et al 2016, Koley et al 2014, Liu X et al 2016, Liu Z et al 2018, Martinez et al 2016, Natuzzi et al 2016, Rosinger 2018, Saulnier et al 2018, Song Q et al 2018, Thompson et al 2015…”

Multidrug-Resistant <i>Vibrio cholerae</i> O1 was Responsible for a Cholera Outbreak in 2013 in Bagalkot, North Karnataka

“…However, aside from these limitations, it is clear that the V. cholerae strains circulating in the region are gradually acquiring resistance to a wider spectrum of antibiotics. Multidrug resistance of V. cholerae and variant strains of V. cholerae have been reported in other regions of India, and in neighboring countries (5,(10)(11)(12)(13)(14). However, multidrug resistance has not been reported from the Bijapur district of North Karnataka.…”