title: Major Shift of Toxigenic V. cholerae O1 from Ogawa to Inaba Serotype Isolated from Clinical and Environmental Samples in Haiti.
abstract: In October of 2010, an outbreak of cholera was confirmed in Haiti for the first time in more than a century. A single clone of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1 biotype El Tor serotype Ogawa strain was implicated as the cause. Five years after the onset of cholera, in October, 2015, we have discovered a major switch (ranging from 7 to 100%) from Ogawa serotype to Inaba serotype. Furthermore, using wbeT gene sequencing and comparative sequence analysis, we now demonstrate that, among 2013 and 2015 Inaba isolates, the wbeT gene, responsible for switching Ogawa to Inaba serotype, sustained a unique nucleotide mutation not found in isolates obtained from Haiti in 2012. Moreover, we show that, environmental Inaba isolates collected in 2015 have the identical mutations found in the 2015 clinical isolates. Our data indicate that toxigenic V. cholerae O1 serotype Ogawa can rapidly change its serotype to Inaba, and has the potential to cause disease in individuals who have acquired immunity against Ogawa serotype. Our findings highlight the importance of monitoring of toxigenic V. cholerae O1 and cholera in countries with established endemic disease.
authors.affiliation: Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America.|Department of Environmental and Global Health, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America.
authors.forename: Meer T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Alam
authors.affiliation: Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America.|Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America.
authors.forename: Shrestha S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.affiliation: Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America.
authors.forename: Camille N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.affiliation: Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America.
authors.forename: Zahara G
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
authors.affiliation: Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America.
authors.forename: Mohammed H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Rashid
authors.affiliation: Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America.|Department of Health Services Research, Management, and Policy, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America.
authors.forename: Valery E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Madsen Beau De Rochars
authors.affiliation: Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America.|Department of Environmental and Global Health, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America.
authors.forename: Afsar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ali
mesh_terms: D002771:Cholera / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D006205:Haiti / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D012703:Serotyping; D014734:Vibrio cholerae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D041241:Vibrio cholerae O1 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*