High Prevalence of Spirochetosis in Cholera Patients, Bangladesh

Eric J Nelson,Firdausi Qadri,Angela Tanudra,Ashrafuzzaman Chowdhury,Andrew Camilli,Stephen B Calderwood,Jenifer Coburn,Anne V Kane

doi:10.3201/eid1504.081214

Abstract

The microbes that accompany the etiologic agent of cholera, Vibrio cholerae, are only now being defined. In this study, spirochetes from the genus Brachyspira were identified at high titers in more than one third of cholera patients in Bangladesh. Spirochetosis should now be tracked in the setting of cholera outbreaks.

Highlights

The microbes that accompany the etiologic agent of cholera, Vibrio cholerae, are only being defined
Co-infection of cholera patients with additional pathogens has focused on enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC); 13% of cholera patients in Bangladesh are co-infected with ETEC [13]
Because anecdotal evidence has indicated frequent cholera and intestinal spirochetosis coinfection in Bangladesh, we studied both diseases in this study

Summary

Introduction

The microbes that accompany the etiologic agent of cholera, Vibrio cholerae, are only being defined. Patients with symptomatic intestinal spirochetosis have chronic diarrhea or soft feces [4,9,10]; these clinical signs may resolve with antimicrobial drug therapy [9]. There is no vaccine for protection against intestinal spirochetosis in humans. Because anecdotal evidence has indicated frequent cholera and intestinal spirochetosis coinfection in Bangladesh, we studied both diseases in this study.

Results

Conclusion