title: Occurrence and distribution of Vibrio cholerae in the coastal environment of Peru.
abstract: The occurrence and distribution of Vibrio cholerae in sea water and plankton along the coast of Peru were studied from October 1997 to June 2000, and included the 1997-98 El Niño event. Samples were collected at four sites in coastal waters off Peru at monthly intervals. Of 178 samples collected and tested, V. cholerae O1 was cultured from 10 (5.6%) samples, and V. cholerae O1 was detected by direct fluorescent antibody assay in 26 out of 159 samples tested (16.4%). Based on the number of cholera cases reported in Peru from 1997 to 2000, a significant correlation was observed between cholera incidence and elevated sea surface temperature (SST) along the coast of Peru (P < 0.001). From the results of this study, coastal sea water and zooplankton are concluded to be a reservoir for V. cholerae in Peru. The climate-cholera relationship observed for the 1997-98 El Niño year suggests that an early warning system for cholera risk can be established for Peru and neighbouring Latin American countries.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigación Nutricional (IIN), Av. La Universidad 685, La Molina, Lima 18, Peru.
authors.forename: Ana I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.forename: Valérie R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Louis
authors.forename: Irma N G
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Rivera
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lipp
authors.forename: Anwar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Huq
authors.forename: Claudio F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Lanata
authors.forename: David N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Estelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Russek-Cohen
authors.forename: Nipa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Choopun
authors.forename: R Bradley
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Sack
authors.forename: Rita R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Colwell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D002771:Cholera / Q000453:epidemiology; D002980:Climate; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D019085:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D012623:Seawater / Q000382:microbiology*; D013696:Temperature; D041241:Vibrio cholerae O1 / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014871:Water Microbiology; D015048:Zooplankton / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial