Characterization of Toxigenic Vibrio cholerae from Haiti, 2010–2011

Deborah Talkington,Cheryl Tarr,Joseph Oundo,Michael Humphrys,Karen Keddy,Steven Stroika,Georges Dahourou,Benjamin Ochieng,Michele Parsons,Anthony Smith,Peter Gerner-Smidt,Kevin Joyce,Maryann Turnsek,Jacques Boncy,John Klena,Cheryl Bopp,Nancy Garrett,Gerardo Gomez,Molly Freeman

doi:10.3201/eid1711.110805

Deborah Talkington, Cheryl Tarr + Show 17 more

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https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1711.110805

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Abstract

In October 2010, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention received reports of cases of severe watery diarrhea in Haiti. The cause was confirmed to be toxigenic Vibrio cholerae, serogroup O1, serotype Ogawa, biotype El Tor. We characterized 122 isolates from Haiti and compared them with isolates from other countries. Antimicrobial drug susceptibility was tested by disk diffusion and broth microdilution. Analyses included identification of rstR and VC2346 genes, sequencing of ctxAB and tcpA genes, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis with SfiI and NotI enzymes. All isolates were susceptible to doxycycline and azithromycin. One pulsed-field gel electrophoresis pattern predominated, and ctxB sequence of all isolates matched the B-7 allele. We identified the tcpETCIRS allele, which is also present in Bangladesh strain CIRS 101. These data show that the isolates from Haiti are clonally and genetically similar to isolates originating in Africa and southern Asia and that ctxB-7 and tcpET(CIRS) alleles are undergoing global dissemination.

Highlights

Freeman, Kevin Joyce, Maryann Turnsek, Nancy Garrett, Michael Humphrys, Gerardo Gomez, Steven Stroika, Jacques Boncy, Benjamin Ochieng, Joseph Oundo, John Klena, Anthony Smith, Karen Keddy, and Peter Gerner-Smidt
We identified the tcpETCIRS allele, which is present in Bangladesh strain CIRS 101
These data show that the isolates from Haiti are clonally and genetically similar to isolates originating in Africa and southern Asia and that ctxB-7 and tcpETCIRS alleles are undergoing global dissemination

Summary

Introduction

Analyses included identification of rstR and VC2346 genes, sequencing of ctxAB and tcpA genes, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis with SfiI and NotI enzymes. All isolates were susceptible to doxycycline and azithromycin. One pulsed-field gel electrophoresis pattern predominated, and ctxB sequence of all isolates matched the B-7 allele. We identified the tcpETCIRS allele, which is present in Bangladesh strain CIRS 101. These data show that the isolates from Haiti are clonally and genetically similar to isolates originating in Africa and southern Asia and that ctxB-7 and tcpETCIRS alleles are undergoing global dissemination. Ibrio cholerae has caused epidemics around the world for centuries. Cholera has long been a companion of devastation and poverty, and epidemics occur in areas. The collapse of Haiti’s infrastructure after the January earthquake created conditions suitable for cholera to affect the country’s vulnerable population

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