title: Isolation frequency and susceptibility pattern of non-O1 and non-O139 Vibrio cholerae in a tertiary health care laboratory, 1999-2012.
abstract: In the past decade the importance of non-O1 and non-O139 strains of Vibrio cholerae has been highlighted globally. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of non-O1 and non-O139 V. cholerae in Pakistan. Data of stool specimens yielding growth of non-O1 and non-O139 V. cholerae isolated at a national referral laboratory from 1999 to 2012 were retrospectively analysed and evaluated for resistance to ampicillin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, co-trimoxazole and ofloxacin. A total of 95 800 stool samples submitted over 1999-2012 yielded 3668 strains of V. cholerae, of which 6% were non-O1 and non-O139 V. cholerae. A high isolation rate was found in the summer season, with a peak in the year 2003. Antimicrobial susceptibility data revealed increasing resistance to co-trimoxazole and ampicillin, but strains remained highly susceptible to ofloxacin. Active surveillance of serotypes and antimicrobial susceptibility is essential to predict future epidemics and define measures to curtail the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Irfan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fasih
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Ghanchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D002771:Cholera / Q000175:diagnosis; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D006801:Humans; D007755:Laboratories, Hospital; D010154:Pakistan; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D014734:Vibrio cholerae / Q000302:isolation & purification*