[Molecular characterization of Vibrio cholerae phage-type 6b epidemic isolates from 1998 to 2001 in Sichuan province].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the molecular characteristics of phage-type 6b isolates emerging in 1998-2001 cholera epidemics in Sichuan province.


METHODS
Isolates were analyzed by phage-typing, pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and ompW gene sequencing.


RESULTS
All phage-type 1b and 6b isolates in Sichuan province from 1998 to 2001 were toxigenic. A total of 24 patterns were identified after PFGE analysis, and one predominant pattern consisted of 13 isolates. Several 1b and 6b isolates from Sichuan and isolates of the 1b from other provinces showed the same PFGE pattern. Mutation in ompW gene was found in 6b isolates.


CONCLUSIONS
V.cholerae O1 6b isolates in Sichuan province from 1998 to 2001 have special genetic markers, and might genetically correlate with contemporaneous 1b isolates.
Xu
Dong-lei
DL
National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing 102206, China.
Wang
Hong-xia
HX
Diao
Bao-wei
BW
Liu
Hong-lu
HL
Xiong
Li-feng
LF
Gao
Shou-yi
SY
Kan
Biao
B
D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D001434:Bacteriophage Typing; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D002771:Cholera / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005838:Genotype; D014734:Vibrio cholerae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification
D004269:DNA, Bacterial