Abstract
Introduction and purposeThe recent cholera spread, new cases, and fatality continue to arouse concern in public health systems; however, interventions on control is at its peak yet statistics show continuous report. This study characterized atypical and patho-significant environmental Vibrio cholerae retrieved from ground/surface/domestic water in rural-urban-sub-urban locations of Amathole District municipality and Chris Hani District municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.MethodsDomestic/surface water was sampled and 759 presumptive V. cholerae isolates were retrieved using standard microbiological methods. Virulence phenotypic test: toxin co-regulated pili (tcp), choleragen red, protease production, lecithinase production, and lipase test were conducted. Serotyping using polyvalent antisera (Bengal and Ogawa/Inaba/Hikojima) and molecular typing: 16SrRNA, OmpW, serogroup (Vc-O1/O139), biotype (tcpAClas/El Tor, HlyAClas/El Tor, rstRClas/El Tor, RS1, rtxA, rtxC), and virulence (ctxA, ctxB, zot, ace, cep, prt, toxR, hlyA) genes were targeted.ResultResult of 16SrRNA typing confirmed 508 (66.9%) while OmpW detected/confirmed 61 (12.01%) V. cholerae strains. Phenotypic-biotyping scheme showed positive test to polymyxin B (68.9%), Voges proskauer (6.6%), and Bengal serology (11.5%). Whereas Vc-O1/O139 was negative, yet two of the isolates harbored the cholera toxin with a gene-type ctxB and hlyAClas: 2/61, revealing atypical/unusual/dual biotype phenotypic/genotypic features. Other potential atypical genotypes detected include rstR: 7/61, Cep: 15/61, ace: 20/61, hlyAElTor: 53/61, rtxA: 30/61, rtxC: 11/61, and prtV: 15/61 respectively.ConclusionAlthough additional patho-significant/virulent genotypes associated with epidemic/sporadic cholera cases were detected, an advanced, bioinformatics, and post-molecular evaluation is necessary. Such stride possesses potential to adequately minimize future cholera cases associated with dynamic/atypical environmental V. cholerae strains.
Highlights
Introduction and purposeThe recent cholera spread, new cases, and fatality continue to arouse concern in public health systems; interventions on control is at its peak yet statistics show continuous report
Conclusion: additional patho-significant/virulent genotypes associated with epidemic/sporadic cholera cases were detected, an advanced, bioinformatics, and post-molecular evaluation is necessary
All the detected gene markers are located within the CTX-phi, satellite phage, RTX cluster, and the hemolysin A cluster of the classical and El Tor strains of V. cholerae (Safa et al 2010; Goel and Jiang 2010; Heidelberg et al 2000; Waldor and Mekalanos 1996)
Summary
Introduction and purposeThe recent cholera spread, new cases, and fatality continue to arouse concern in public health systems; interventions on control is at its peak yet statistics show continuous report. A disease that is associated with dirt, gutter, unhealthy contact with contaminated material and other unhygienic practices has been affirmed to be associated with the pathogen Vibrio cholerae World Health Organization (WHO) and other investigators in vibriology have affirmed the annual burden of cholera cases to range from 1.3 million to 4.0 million with annual mortality rate ranging from 21,000 to 143,000 worldwide (Ali et al 2015; WHO facts 2018). Due to their high clinical relevance, they are subdivided into serogroups, serotypes, phage types, and biotype (Momba and Azab El-Liethy 2017). According to Zaw et al (2016) and Mandal et al (2011), biotyping cholera Vibrio members possess a major epidemiological relevance in the classification scheme of the family Vibrionaceae especially as the pathogen has shown in history, a remarkable disappearance and re-establishment as well as dominance since 1992 (Mandal et al 2011; Zaw et al 2016)
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