title: Detection of virulence genes in environmental strains of Vibrio cholerae from estuaries in northeastern Brazil.
abstract: The objectives of this study were to detect the presence of Vibrio cholerae in tropical estuaries (Northeastern Brazil) and to search for virulence factors in the environmental isolates. Water and sediment samples were inoculated onto a vibrio-selective medium (TCBS), and colonies with morphological resemblance to V. cholerae were isolated. The cultures were identified phenotypically using a dichotomous key based on biochemical characteristics. The total DNA extracted was amplified by PCR to detect ompW and by multiplex PCR to detect the virulence genes ctx, tcp, zot and rfbO1. The results of the phenotypic and genotypic identification were compared. Nine strains of V. cholerae were identified phenotypically, five of which were confirmed by detection of the species-specific gene ompW. The dichotomous key was efficient at differentiating environmental strains of V. cholerae. Strains of V. cholerae were found in all four estuaries, but none possessed virulence genes.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Ceará, Department of Fisheries Engineering, Campus Universitário do Pici, UFC, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francisca Gleire Rodrigues de
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Menezes
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Ceará, Department of Fisheries Engineering, Campus Universitário do Pici, UFC, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Soraya da Silva
authors.initials: Sda S
authors.lastname: Neves
authors.affiliation: Marine Sciences Institute (LABOMAR), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Oscarina Viana de
authors.initials: OV
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: Marine Sciences Institute (LABOMAR), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Candida Machado Vieira Maia
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Vila-Nova
authors.affiliation: Marine Sciences Institute (LABOMAR), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maggioni
authors.affiliation: The Oswaldo Cruz Institute (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Grace Nazareth Diogo
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Theophilo
authors.affiliation: The Oswaldo Cruz Institute (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hofer
authors.affiliation: Marine Sciences Institute (LABOMAR), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Regine Helena Silva dos Fernandes
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Vieira
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D063366:Estuaries; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014734:Vibrio cholerae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D037521:Virulence Factors