title: Non-O1/non-O139 Vibrio cholerae carrying multiple virulence factors and V. cholerae O1 in the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland.
abstract: Non-O1/non-O139 Vibrio cholerae inhabits estuarine and coastal waters globally, but its clinical significance has not been sufficiently investigated, despite the fact that it has been associated with septicemia and gastroenteritis. The emergence of virulent non-O1/non-O139 V. cholerae is consistent with the recognition of new pathogenic variants worldwide. Oyster, sediment, and water samples were collected during a vibrio surveillance program carried out from 2009 to 2012 in the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland. V. cholerae O1 was detected by a direct fluorescent-antibody (DFA) assay but was not successfully cultured, whereas 395 isolates of non-O1/non-O139 V. cholerae were confirmed by multiplex PCR and serology. Only a few of the non-O1/non-O139 V. cholerae isolates were resistant to ampicillin and/or penicillin. Most of the isolates were sensitive to all antibiotics tested, and 77 to 90% carried the El Tor variant hemolysin gene hlyAET, the actin cross-linking repeats in toxin gene rtxA, the hemagglutinin protease gene hap, and the type 6 secretion system. About 19 to 21% of the isolates carried the neuraminidase-encoding gene nanH and/or the heat-stable toxin (NAG-ST), and only 5% contained a type 3 secretion system. None of the non-O1/non-O139 V. cholerae isolates contained Vibrio pathogenicity island-associated genes. However, ctxA, ace, or zot was present in nine isolates. Fifty-five different genotypes showed up to 12 virulence factors, independent of the source of isolation, and represent the first report of both antibiotic susceptibility and virulence associated with non-O1/non-O139 V. cholerae from the Chesapeake Bay. Since these results confirm the presence of potentially pathogenic non-O1/non-O139 V. cholerae, monitoring for total V. cholerae, regardless of serotype, should be done within the context of public health.
authors.affiliation: Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ceccarelli
authors.affiliation: Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Arlene
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA CosmosID Inc., College Park, Maryland, USA University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Nur A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Hasan
authors.affiliation: Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA International Center for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Shah M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Rashed
authors.affiliation: Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA Maryland Institute of Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Anwar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Huq
authors.affiliation: Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA CosmosID Inc., College Park, Maryland, USA University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA Maryland Institute of Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA rcolwell@umiacs.umd.edu.
authors.forename: Rita R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Colwell
mesh_terms: D000667:Ampicillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D061006:Bays / Q000382:microbiology*; D005838:Genotype; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000382:microbiology*; D008396:Maryland; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction; D010125:Ostreidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D010406:Penicillins / Q000494:pharmacology; D012703:Serotyping; D041241:Vibrio cholerae O1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D044163:Vibrio cholerae non-O1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D014871:Water Microbiology; D018440:beta-Lactam Resistance
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010406:Penicillins; D037521:Virulence Factors; D000667:Ampicillin