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Vibrio cholerae
  • Over 130 serovars
  • Serovar O1 causes "classical cholera", serovar O139 causes similar
  • Others = "non-cholera vibrios" / "non-O1 V. cholerae"
    • May cause severe diarrhoea but do not have epidemic potential
  • Produces enterotoxin
    • Activates adenylate cyclase in epithelial cells
    • Increases cAMP
    • Leading to massive Na+ and water secretion
  • Severe, life threatening, watery "rice-water" diarrhoea

Treatment

  • Fluid replacement – oral or IV
  • Tetracycline
    • Reduces diarrhoea
    • Reduces excretion of vibrios

Diagnosis

  • Culture on TCBS (thiosulphate citrate bile sucrose, green) agar, 37ēC
  • Selective enrichment broths (alkaline peptone water, pH 8.5)

Prevention

  • Safe water supplies
  • Cook food
  • Prevent contamination
  • Good sewage disposal
  • Limited value in vaccination

Other vibrios

V. vulnifica – causes septicaemia

V. parahaemolytica – causes food poisoning in Japan