Ecology of vibrio cholerae and vibrio parahaemolyticus in Trinidad's coastal waters - abstract

An ecological survey of Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio parahaemolyticus in the coastal waters of Trinidad was conducted between October, 1992 and March, 1993 to examine what factors may contribute to the presence, persistence and possibility of disease transmission to the susceptible human population of Trinidad. One hundred and thirty-two samples (water, plankton and shell fish) were investigated by standard microbiological procedures for the isolation and identification of Vibirio spp. in the marine environment. Water samples from the north coast did not yield any Vibrio species. None of the water, food or plankton samples from the 2 east coast stations were positive for V.cholerae or V.parahaemolyticus though other pathogenic halophilic Vibrio species were isolated. The Gulf Coast stations showed the presence of both V.cholerae and V.parahaemolyticus in differing percentages. V.parahaemolyticus was present at the Caroni Swamp, Williams Bay, Cedros Bay and Othaheite Bay in varying percentages according to type of sample. V.cholerae was not isolated at Caroni Swamp but was present at Williams Bay (a popular bathing spot), Cedros Bay (oysters and plankton) and Othaheite Bay. Planktonic copepods were seen to be a reservoir for both species. The study demonstrates that the waters of the Gulf of Paria satisfy ecological requirements for the growth, persistence and disease transmission of Vibrio spp. to the susceptible population of Trinidad. Water from the South American mainland that is contaminated with V.cholerae may enter and circulate within the Gulf for up to 6 days and this may be an important factor in the occurrence and persistence of these pathogenic bacteria in Trinidadian waters (AU)

The occurrence of non-O1 vibrio cholerae in non-potable water samples in Barbados

Fourteen freshwater or brackish-water samples taken from different sites were examined for the presence of Vibrio cholerae. Standard enrichment techniques, using pre-incubation in alkaline peptone water and plating on thiosulfate citrate bile sucrose agar (TCBS) followed by biochemical, physiological and morphological characterization of the isolates, revealed the presence of Vibrio cholerae at nine of the sites examined. Serotyping for type O1 only was performed. All the strains isolated were non-O1 Vibrio cholerae (AU)

Simultaneous vaccination against cholera and yellow fever

A study of serum-samples from immunised individuals showed that administration of yellow-fever and cholera vaccine, simultaneously or one to three weeks apart, reduced the vibriocidal and yellow-fever-virus-neutralising antibody titres (AU)