title: Vibrio cholerae in an Historically Cholera-Free Country.
abstract: We report the autochthonous existence of Vibrio cholerae in coastal waters of Iceland, a geothermally active country where cholera is absent and has never been reported. Seawater, mussel, and macroalgae samples were collected close to and distant from sites where geothermal activity causes a significant increase in water temperature during low tides. V. cholerae was detected only at geothermal-influenced sites during low-tides. None of the V. cholerae isolates encoded cholera toxin (ctxAB) and all were non-O1/non-O139 serogroups. However, all isolates encoded other virulence factors that are associated with cholera as well as extra-intestinal V. cholerae infections. The virulence factors were functional at temperatures of coastal waters of Iceland, suggesting an ecological role. It is noteworthy that V. cholerae was isolated from samples collected at sites distant from anthropogenic influence, supporting the conclusion that V. cholerae is autochthonous to the aquatic environment of Iceland.
authors.affiliation: Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
authors.forename: Bradd J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Haley
authors.forename: Arlene
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Grim
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Celia Municio
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Taviani
authors.forename: Nur A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Hasan
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sancomb
authors.forename: Wessam Mahmoud
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Elnemr
authors.forename: Muhammad A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.forename: Anwar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Huq
authors.forename: Rita R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Colwell
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Benediktsdóttir