title: Molecular epidemiology of geographically dispersed Vibrio cholerae, Kenya, January 2009-May 2010.
abstract: Numerous outbreaks of cholera have occurred in Kenya since 1971. To more fully understand the epidemiology of cholera in Kenya, we analyzed the genetic relationships among 170 Vibrio cholerae O1 isolates at 5 loci containing variable tandem repeats. The isolates were collected during January 2009-May 2010 from various geographic areas throughout the country. The isolates grouped genetically into 5 clonal complexes, each comprising a series of genotypes that differed by an allelic change at a single locus. No obvious correlation between the geographic locations of the isolates and their genotypes was observed. Nevertheless, geographic differentiation of the clonal complexes occurred. Our analyses showed that multiple genetic lineages of V. cholerae were simultaneously infecting persons in Kenya. This finding is consistent with the simultaneous emergence of multiple distinct genetic lineages of V. cholerae from endemic environmental reservoirs rather than recent introduction and spread by travelers.
authors.affiliation: Field Epidemiology and Laboratory TrainingProgram, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Ahmed Abade
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oundo
authors.forename: Samuel M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kariuki
authors.forename: Hamadi I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Boga
authors.forename: Shanaz K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sharif
authors.forename: Willis
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Akhwale
authors.forename: Jared
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Omolo
authors.forename: Anyangu S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Amwayi
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mutonga
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kareko
authors.forename: Mercy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Njeru
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Breiman
authors.forename: O Colin
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Stine
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002771:Cholera / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats; D058885:Multilocus Sequence Typing; D010802:Phylogeny; D058974:Phylogeography; D014734:Vibrio cholerae / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult