English

Abstract

Cholera is a devastating diarrheal disease caused by V. cholera. Two biotypes of V. cholerae O1, classical and El-Tor, are distinguished. Each biotype is further subdivided into two serotypes, termed Inaba and Ogawa. As large deltaic areas of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers are considered to be the homeland of cholera, objective of our study was to detect the circulating strain of Vibrio causing Cholera outbreaks in different pockets of West Bengal. Water samples collected from the water sources of the affected areas and stool samples and or rectal swabs of suspected cases were tested according to standard bacteriological protocol. In July 2008, Cholera outbreak was caused by Vibrio cholerae O1 El-Tor Inaba serotype in Darjeeling district affecting 176 persons. Mean age of the affected people was 15years. Thereafter in the June, 2010, there was an outbreak of Vibrio cholerae El Tor Ogawa affecting 87 people in Maldah. Mean age of the cases was 25years. Similar type of Vibrio cholerae O1 El-Tor Ogawa strain was isolated in the outbreak of June to September 2012 in Maldah with lower mean age of cases i.e.7years. A total of 93 patients suffered from Cholera during this outbreak. Cholera outbreak in West Bengal was caused by classical Vibrio cholerae O1 Ogawa serotype affecting 803 people in North 24 Paragana in October, 2013. Mean age of the patients was 31year. As classical Vibrio causes more severe disease than El-Tor, its reemergence with multidrug resistant properties is no doubt an upcoming threat.