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.
Gomber
S
S
Department of Paediatrics, University College of Medical Sciences, Shahdara, Delhi, India.
Mathur
M
M
Sharma
P P
PP
D000208:Acute Disease; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002771:Cholera / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012703:Serotyping; D014734:Vibrio cholerae / Q000145:classification