The Genomics of Cholera

摘要: Vibrio cholerae, a bacterium autochthonous to the aquatic environment and introduced into human intestine through contaminated water or food, is etiological agent of acute secretory diarrheal disease described as cholera. The pathogen has free-living planktonic existence in bodies ability transmit humans cause disease. process completing an annual cycle transmission from food ecology epidemiology pathogen. This species contains wide variety both pathogenic nonpathogenic strains. At subspecies level, organism classified more than 200 serogroups (Li et al. 2002). differentiation V. cholerae based on differences sugar composition therefore antigenicity heat-stable surface somatic “O” antigen. Only strains O1 O139 that produce cholera toxin defined toxigenic have been recognized agents sporadic, endemic, epidemic, pandemic (Fig. 3.1) (Kaper 1995; Sack 2004). Most other are not rarely local outbreaks, mild gastroenteritis. belonging serogroup further differentiated two biotypes, classical El Tor. biotypes combination phenotypic, biochemical, genetic traits, include susceptibility polymixin B, hemagglutination chicken erythrocytes, hemolysis sheep Voges–Proskauer test, phages, nucleotide sequences specific genes 1995). collectively called non-O1, non-O139, associated with epidemics ubiquitously distributed (Faruque 1998).