Interaction of Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio El Tor

Soon after its entry into the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent in 1964, cholera El Tor progressively replaced classical cholera. One of the probable reasons for this was found from laboratory studies of the interaction of the two choleragenic vibrios, V. cholerae and V. El Tor. It was observed, in both in vitro and in vivo experiments, that in mixed culture El Tor vibrios from cholera cases are capable of outgrowing and rapidly eliminating V. cholerae. The apathogenic El Tor strains from the Middle East countries differed significantly from the pathogenic type of El Tor strains isolated from cholera cases in that the former did not inhibit the growth of V. cholerae strains. The possible mechanism of interaction of the pathogenic El Tor vibrios and V. cholerae was studied in detail. Various possibilities, including higher rates of multiplication of El Tor vibrios, competition for nutrients, secretion of inhibitory substances and liberation of lethal bacteriophage or vibriocins by El Tor vibrios, were examined. Although it was not possible to establish the actual mechanism of this interaction, the possible biological effect on the epidemiology of cholera was evident.     

Evolution,distribution and genetics of atypical Vibrio cholerae – A review

Vibrio cholerae is the etiological agent of cholera, a severe diarrheal disease, which can occur as either an epidemic or sporadic disease. Cholera pandemic-causing V. cholerae O1 and O139 serogroups originated from the Indian subcontinent and spread globally and millions of lives are lost each year, mainly in developing and underdeveloped countries due to this disease. V. cholerae O1 is further classified as classical and El Tor biotype which can produce biotype specific cholera toxin (CT). Since 1961, the current seventh pandemic El Tor strains replaced the sixth pandemic strains resulting in the classical biotype strain that produces classical CT. The ongoing evolution of Atypical El Tor V. cholerae srains encoding classical CT is of global concern. The severity in the pathophysiology of these Atypical El Tor strains is significantly higher than El Tor or classical strains. Pathogenesis of V. cholerae is a complex process that involves coordinated expression of different sets of virulence-associated genes to cause disease. We are yet to understand the complete virulence profile of V. cholerae, including direct and indirect expression of genes involved in its survival and stress adaptation in the host. In recent years, whole genome sequencing has paved the way for better understanding of the evolution and strain distribution, outbreak identification and pathogen surveillance for the implementation of direct infection control measures in the clinic against many infectious pathogens including V. cholerae. This review provides a synopsis of recent studies that have contributed to the understanding of the evolution, distribution and genetics of the seventh pandemic Atypical El Tor V. cholerae strains.     

Genetic determinants of virulence,antibiogram and altered biotype among the Vibrio cholerae O1 isolates from different cholera outbreaks in India

Cholera diarrhea is still a major health challenge for a large part of globe. Global replacement of Vibrio cholerae classical biotype by El Tor biotype, emergence of O139 serogroup and rapid spread of antibiotic resistant strains indicate the continuous evolution in V. cholerae. In this study, 114 V. cholerae O1 serotype Ogawa isolates, collected from different cholera outbreaks in different regions of India between 2004 and 2007 were subjected to biochemical, immunological and molecular characterization. All the isolates were PCR positive for various toxigenic, pathogenic and regulatory genes, viz. ompW, ctxB, rfbO1, tcp, zot, rtxC, ace, hlyA, ompU and toxR. The antibiogram studies of isolates revealed the resistance towards several antibiotics including nalidixic acid, co-trimoxazole, streptomycin, nitrofurantoin and polymyxin B. However, antibiogram of the strains confirmed susceptibility to tetracycline and chloramphenicol in all the isolates. This study also substantiated the wide spread of class 1 integrons and SXT elements (mobile genetic elements for antibiotic resistance) in clinical isolates in India. Sequencing of cholera toxin (ctxB) gene revealed the replacement of traditional ctxB of El Tor biotype with ctxB of classical biotype in all the O1 El Tor strains collected since 2004. In addition, in 2007, a new variant of O1 El Tor strain with further modifications in ctxB of classical biotype is discovered among the Indian isolates.     

Comparative genomic analysis of two isolates of Vibrio cholerae O1 Ogawa El Tor isolated during outbreak in Mariupol in 2011

Cholera is a water-borne, severe enteric infection essentially caused by toxigenic strains of Vibrio cholera O1 and O139 serogroups. An outbreak of cholera was registered during May–July 2011 in Mariupol, Ukraine, with 33 cholera cases and 25 carriers of cholera. Following this outbreak, the toxigenic strain of V. cholerae 2011EL-301 was isolated from seawater in the recreation area of Taganrog city on the territory of Russia. The aim of our study was to understand genomic features of Mariupol isolates as well as to evaluate hypothesis about possible interconnection between the outbreak of cholera in Mariupol and the single case of isolation of V. cholerae from the Sea of Azov in Russia. Mariupol isolates were phenotypically characterized and subsequently subjected to whole genome sequencing procedure. Phylogenetic analysis based on high-quality SNPs of V. cholera O1 El Tor isolates of the 7th pandemic clade from different regions showed that clinical and environmental isolates from Mariupol outbreak were attributable to a unique phylogenetic clade within wave 3 of V. cholera O1 El Tor isolates and characterized by six clade-specific SNPs. Whereas Taganrog isolate belonged to distantly related clade which allows us to reject the hypothesis of transmission the outbreak strain of V. cholerae O1 from Ukraine to Russia in 2011. Mariupol isolates shared a common ancestor with Haiti\Nepal-4\India clade indicating that outbreak progenitor strain most likely originated in the South Asia region and later was introduced to Ukraine. Moreover, genomic data both based on hqSNPs and similarity of virulence-associated mobile genomic elements of Mariupol isolates suggests that environmental and clinical isolates are a part of joint outbreak which confirms the role of contaminated domestic sewage, as an element of the complex chain of infection spread during cholera outbreak. In general, the genome-wide comparative analysis of both genes and genomic regions of epidemiological importance indicates accessory of this isolates to ‘new’ clone of toxigenic multiple drug resistance atypical variant of V. cholerae O1 El Tor.     

Monitoring Water Sources for Environmental Reservoirs of Toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1, Haiti

An epidemic of cholera infections was documented in Haiti for the first time in more than 100 years during October 2010. Cases have continued to occur, raising the question of whether the microorganism has established environmental reservoirs in Haiti. We monitored 14 environmental sites near the towns of Gressier and Leogane during April 2012–March 2013. Toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor biotype strains were isolated from 3 (1.7%) of 179 water samples; nontoxigenic O1 V. cholerae was isolated from an additional 3 samples. All samples containing V. cholerae O1 also contained non-O1 V. cholerae. V. cholerae O1 was isolated only when water temperatures were ≥31°C. Our data substantiate the presence of toxigenic V. cholerae O1 in the aquatic environment in Haiti. These isolations may reflect establishment of long-term environmental reservoirs in Haiti, which may complicate eradication of cholera from this coastal country.     

Preliminary studies on the development of a live oral vaccine for anti-cholera immunization

Since humoral anti-O antibodies play little part in protective immunity against cholera, and the infecting organisms remain limited in the gut, effective prophylaxis will require the production of active immunity in cells of the mucous membrane of the intestinal canal. It has not been possible to achieve this objective satisfactorily by injections of killed cholera cultures. In laboratory studies for a solution of the problem it has been shown that Vibrio cholerae and V. El Tor strains possess identical somatic antigens. El Tor vibrio strains isolated from surface water in an area free from cholera were found to be of low pathogenicity while retaining full antigenicity. Administration of these strains to mice and rabbits was shown to confer protection against subsequent challenge with both V. cholerae and pathogenic V. El Tor strains. On the basis of the data presented a case has been made for a viable vaccine prepared from a suitable non-pathogenic El Tor strain, for administration by the oral route. It may be expected that such a vaccine will establish an effective immunity through protection of the local susceptible cells of the intestines as a result of subclinical infection. The safety and protective value of the vaccine remain to be verified in human volunteers before it can be chosen for field trials.     

A controlled field trial of the effectiveness of cholera and cholera El Tor vaccines in the Philippines

A controlled field trial on some 584 000 people in an endemic cholera El Tor area in the Philippines demonstrated that cholera vaccines gave moderate protection of short duration. Injection of a single dose of vaccine prepared from either Vibrio cholerae or El Tor vibrios gave over 50% protection for the first 2 months. The immunity conferred by the V. cholerae vaccine declined rapidly after 3 to 4 months. The effectiveness of the El Tor vaccine continued for 6 months. An oil-adjuvant vaccine prepared from V. cholerae conferred an equally high degree of protection for a longer period of time, but, owing to severe vaccination reactions, its use could not be recommended.     

The complete genomic analysis of an imported Vibrio cholerae from Myanmar in southwest China

We sequenced and analyzed an imported Vibrio cholerae from Mynamar in 2011 by using whole genome sequencing method in Yunnan Province, southwest China. Other 3 isolates of V. cholerae in Yunnan were also sequenced for comparing purpose. Illumina Hiseq2500 was used and the sequencing results were assembled and annotated. The comparative genomic analysis was also performed with 101 reference strains from China and abroad. The results showed the imported V. cholerae (YN2011004) had two chromosomes and one plasmid; chr1 contained 2727 predicted genes, and 958 genes for chr2. Phylogenomic tree results showed YN2011004 belonged to the seventh pandemic strain, clustered into wave 3 and clade 3B. The strain had the highly homology with SN083 and 4remapscaff isolated in 2010 from other parts of China, and clustered with SN117, VC50 remapscaff, VC57 remapscaff and SN034. These references V. cholerae mostly isolated from coastal areas of China in 2008. For the other 3 strains' comparison, it suggested that V. cholerae in 1990s in Yunnan had the close relationship with the prevalence of cholera in Southeast Asia. Therefore, we thought that the cholera in Yunnan was consistent with the epidemic trend of China, being the “sink” for external source and also acted as a “source” for spread. Moreover, we considered that the imported V. cholerae from Myanmar in 2011 actually was the exported strain from China, and it provided us a new sight for the bacterial change and evolution.     

A controlled field trial of the effectiveness of cholera and cholera El Tor vaccines in the Philippines: Preliminary report

In a controlled field trial on some 584 000 people in an endemic cholera El Tor area in the Philippines, it was demonstrated that cholera vaccines gave moderate protection of short duration. Injection of a single dose of vaccine prepared from either Vibrio cholerae or Vibrio El Tor gave over 50% protection for the first two months. The immunity conferred by the V. cholerae vaccine rapidly declined after three to four months. The V. El Tor vaccine gave protection for six months, but its effectiveness declined. An oil-adjuvant vaccine prepared from V. cholerae conferred an increasing degree of protection of long duration, but, owing to severe vaccination reactions, its use could not be recommended.     

霍乱疫情分离株流行菌型及耐药性分析

目的了解霍乱疫情分离株的流行菌型及其耐药性,为霍乱疫情的快速有效控制和临床治疗提供科学依据。方法对2008年6月海南省某地霍乱疫情采集的6株霍乱弧菌分离株进行血清学分型、噬菌体-生物分型、霍乱毒素基因检测、脉冲场凝胶电泳(PFGE)分子分型和药物敏感性试验。结果 6株菌均属埃尔托生物型霍乱弧菌,除1株为O1群小川型霍乱弧菌流行株(1c),其余5株均为O1群稻叶型霍乱弧菌流行株(1c);6株菌均具有霍乱毒素基因;PFGE分型为2个型,但聚类图谱分析相似性为100%;6株菌均对链霉素、复方新诺明、磺胺异噁唑、多粘菌素B耐药;对诺氟沙星、头孢噻肟、头孢噻吩等9种抗生素均敏感;结论该起霍乱疫情的流行菌型为O1群埃尔托霍乱弧菌稻叶型流行株(1c);诺氟沙星、头孢噻肟、头孢噻吩等可作为病例和带菌者治疗的指导用药,链霉素、复方新诺明、磺胺异噁唑、多粘菌素B则不宜使用。     

Genomic Epidemiology of Vibrio cholerae O1 Associated with Floods,Pakistan, 2010

In August 2010, Pakistan experienced major floods and a subsequent cholera epidemic. To clarify the population dynamics and transmission of Vibrio cholerae in Pakistan, we sequenced the genomes of all V. cholerae O1 El Tor isolates and compared the sequences to a global collection of 146 V. cholerae strains. Within the global phylogeny, all isolates from Pakistan formed 2 new subclades (PSC-1 and PSC-2), lying in the third transmission wave of the seventh-pandemic lineage that could be distinguished by signature deletions and their antimicrobial susceptibilities. Geographically, PSC-1 isolates originated from the coast, whereas PSC-2 isolates originated from inland areas flooded by the Indus River. Single-nucleotide polymorphism accumulation analysis correlated river flow direction with the spread of PSC-2. We found at least 2 sources of cholera in Pakistan during the 2010 epidemic and illustrate the value of a global genomic data bank in contextualizing cholera outbreaks.     

Emergence of Vibrio cholerae O1 Sequence Type 75, South Africa, 2018–2020

We describe the molecular epidemiology of cholera in South Africa during 2018–2020. Vibrio cholerae O1 sequence type (ST) 75 recently emerged and became more prevalent than the V. cholerae O1 biotype El Tor pandemic clone. ST75 isolates were found across large spatial and temporal distances, suggesting local ST75 spread.     

A monoclonal antibody that targets the conserved core/lipid A region of lipopolysaccharide affects motility and reduces intestinal colonization of both classical and El Tor Vibrio cholerae biotypes

Vibrio cholerae is the causative agent of cholera, an acute diarrheal disease that remains endemic in many parts of the world. The mechanisms underlying immunity to cholera remain poorly defined, though it is increasingly clear that protection is associated with antibodies against lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Here we report that ZAC-3, a monoclonal antibody against the core/lipid A region of V. cholerae LPS is a potent inhibitor of V. cholerae flagellum-based motility in viscous and liquid environments. ZAC-3 arrested motility of the classical Ogawa strain O395, as well as the El Tor Inaba strain C6706. In addition, we demonstrate, in the neonatal mouse model, that ZAC-3 IgG and Fab fragments significantly reduced the ability of both V. cholerae strains O395 and C6706 to colonize the intestinal epithelium, revealing the potential of antibodies against the core/lipid A to contribute to immunity across biotypes, possibly through a mechanism involving motility arrest.     

上海市1962-2011年霍乱弧菌表型特征及分子分型研究

目的 分析1962-2011年上海市霍乱弧菌的表型及分子分型特征.方法 采用WHO推荐的改良K-B纸片法,对222株霍乱弧菌进行11种抗菌药物(头孢曲松、强力霉素、诺氟沙星、环丙沙星、复方新诺明、丁胺卡那霉素、四环素、氯霉素、萘啶酸、氨苄西林、庆大霉素)敏感试验.以PCR检测霍乱毒素基因(ctxA)、小带联结毒素基因(zot)、辅助霍乱肠毒素基因(ace)、溶血素基因(hlyA)、毒素协调菌毛基因(tcpA)、外膜蛋白基因(ompU)和调控蛋白基因(toxR).采用脉冲场凝胶电泳(PFGE)方法对菌株进行分子分型,用BioNumerics软件分析电泳图谱.结果 222株霍乱弧菌经药物敏感试验分析显示,1962-1996年的菌株对多种药物敏感,2005-2011年的菌株对多种药物耐药.O139群耐药率明显高于O1群,O139群产毒株的耐药率比非产毒株高.毒力基因分析显示,1962-1996年霍乱患者来源菌株多为O1群产毒株,2005-2011年患者来源菌株多为O139群产毒株,水体来源菌株未检出ctxA基因,O1群水产来源菌株以hlyA⁺ toxR⁺ ompU⁺为主,占25.6％(11/43),O139群水产来源菌株以hlyA⁺ toxR⁺ompU⁺ctxA ⁺ace ⁺zot⁺ tcpA⁺为主,占76.1％(16/21).PFGE分析将222株菌分为121个PFGE型,O139群分为3个聚类,O1群分为5个聚类.结论 上海市霍乱弧菌随着时间推移表型及分子特征均发生了很大变化,耐药情况加重.     

Vibrio cholerae O1 Ogawa El Tor strains with the ctxB7 allele driving cholera outbreaks in south-western India in 2012

Cholera has been a recurrent epidemic disease in human populations for the past 200 years. We present herein a comparative characterization of clinical Vibrio cholerae strains isolated from two consecutive cholera outbreaks in 2012 and associated environmental strains from western India. The clinical and toxigenic environmental isolates were identified as hybrid V. cholerae O1, serotype Ogawa, biotype El Tor carrying the variant ctxB7 allele. Partial sequences of SXT integrase from the isolates revealed 100% identity to ICEVchInd5 (Sevagram, India, 1994) and VC1786ICE (Haiti, 2013). The full clonal relationship of the strains established by RAPD, Box PCR, ERIC PCR and MLST (pyrH, recA and rpoA) analyses, and the short time between the two outbreaks, strongly supported that both outbreaks were due to a single strain. The study corroborated that faecal contamination of the potable water supply was the main reason for the first outbreak, which further spread to other areas and resulted in the second outbreak. The study concluded that the circulating El Tor variant strains of epidemic potential in the region can be a serious concern in the future.     

Vibriocine production in the cholera and El Tor vibrios

Various tests have been developed to differentiate Vibrio cholerae and V. El Tor, since the latter was formerly considered to be of little clinical importance. More recently, however, it has become evident that these two organisms can produce an identical disease. Consequently, it is of interest to detect similarities between them. In the present report, a method for the detection of bacteriocine (”vibriocine”) activity of V. cholerae and V. El Tor is described. The production of vibriocine appears to be a common characteristic of these two organisms, and the results of testing eight V. cholerae and eight V. El Tor strains indicates that there is a close relationship between them.     

Characterization of Vibrio cholerae O1 strains that trace the origin of Haitian-like genetic traits

Vibrio cholerae O1 is the etiological agent of the severe diarrheal disease cholera. The bacterium has recently been causing outbreaks in Haiti with catastrophic effects. Numerous mutations have been reported in V. cholerae O1 strains associated with the Haitian outbreak. These mutations encompass among other the genes encoding virulence factors such as the pilin subunit of the toxin-co-regulated pilus (tcpA), cholera toxin B subunit (ctxB), repeat in toxins (rtxA), and other genes such as the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) of gyrase A (gyrA), rstB of RS element along with the alteration in the number of repeat sequences at the promoter region of ctxAB. Given the numerous genetic changes in those Haitian isolates, we decided to investigate the possible origins of those variations in the Indian subcontinent. Thus, we determined the genetic traits among V. cholerae O1 strains in Delhi, India. A total of 175 strains isolated from cholera patients during 2004 to 2012 were analysed in the present study. Our results showed that all the tested strains carried Haitian type tcpA (tcpA^CIRS) and variant gyrA indicating their first appearance before 2004 in Delhi. The Haitian variant rtxA and ctxB7 were first detected in Delhi during 2004 and 2006, respectively. Interestingly, not a single strain with the combination of El Tor rtxA and ctxB7 was detected in this study. The Delhi strains carried four heptad repeats (TTTTGAT) in the CT promoter region whereas Haitian strains carried 5 such repeats. Delhi strains did not have any deletion mutations in the rstB like Haitian strains. Overall, our study demonstrates the sequential accumulation of Haitian-like genetic traits among V. cholerae O1 strains in Delhi at different time points prior to the Haitian cholera outbreak.     

A controlled field trial of the effectiveness of monovalent classical and El Tor cholera vaccines in the Philippines

Monovalent Ogawa and Inaba vaccines prepared from classical and El Tor strains of Vibrio cholerae were field-tested in Negros Occidental, Philippines, where cholera El Tor, serotype Ogawa, is endemic. The monovalent classical Ogawa and Inaba vaccines were of the same lots as those tested in East Pakistan in 1968-69. The results indicated that all four types of vaccine tested offered significant degrees of protection varying from 58% to 71%. The Ogawa vaccines were slightly, though not significantly, more protective than the Inaba vaccines against disease caused by Ogawa. The biotypes of the vaccine strains were found to be of no consequence.     

Novel ctxB variants of Vibrio cholerae O1 isolates,China

We screened 650 isolates from historical collection of Vibrio cholerae O1 during the 7th cholera pandemic in China, by amplifying and sequencing the cholera toxin subunit gene ctxB. Ten isolates were identified as harboring three novel ctxB genotypes based on amino acid residue substitutions. Within them one isolate from a patient in 1964 was similar to the El Tor genotype, except for an 11 amino acid repeat sequence (LAGKREMAIIT) that was inserted after position 62. Six environmental isolates from different regions and years were identified as the Australia El Tor genotype, except at positions 36(T → A), 39(H → Y), and 55(K → N), while three environmental isolates were similar to genotype 5, except at position 24(Q → H). Sequencing of rstR, the marker gene for the CTXΦ allele typing, revealed that two isolates carried the rstR gene of the El Tor type, five carried the classical type rstR, while other isolates carried the rstR232 type. All 10 isolates contained the repeat in the toxin gene rtxC, an El Tor biotype-specific marker, and the El Tor toxin-coregulated pili subunit A gene tcpA, showing the El Tor traits of these isolates. Additionally, by phenotypic biotyping (susceptibility to polymyxin B, positive for chicken erythrocyte agglutination, and Voges–Proskauer test), all isolates except two were typical of the prototype El Tor isolate, while these two isolates had mixed classical phenotypes (hybrid biotype). Furthermore, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis suggested that the new ctxB altered isolates possessed potential transmissibility and thatthey propagated in the local region(s). Taken together, these novel ctxB variants of V. cholerae O1 experienced complex hybrid and genetic exchange but belong to the El Tor lineage, and the pathogenic and epidemic potential of these lineages should be monitored.