Isolation frequency and susceptibility pattern of non-O1 and non-O139 Vibrio cholerae in a tertiary health care laboratory, 1999-2012

In the past decade the importance of non-O1 and non-O139 strains of Vibrio cholerae has been highlighted globally. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of non-OI and non-O139 V. cholerae in Pakistan. Data of stool specimens yielding growth of non-O1 and non-O139 V. cholerae isolated at a national referral laboratory from 1999 to 2012 were retrospectively analysed and evaluated for resistance to ampicillin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, co-trimoxazole and ofloxacin. A total of 95 800 stool samples submitted over 1999-2012 yielded 3668 strains of V. cholerae, of which 6% were non-O1 and non-O139 V cholerae. A high isolation rate was found in the summer season, with a peak in the year 2003. Antimicrobial susceptibility data revealed increasing resistance to co-trimoxazole and ampicillin, but strains remained highly susceptible to ofloxacin. Active surveillance of serotypes and antimicrobial susceptibility is essential to predict future epidemics and define measures to curtail the disease

Au cours des dix dernieres annees, [Importance des souches de Vibrio cholerae non-OI et non-O139 a ete mise en avant a I'echelle mondiale. La presente etude visait a evaluer la frequence de 1'isolation des souches de Vibrio cholerae non-OI et non-O139 et leur profil de sensibilite aux antimicrobiens au Pakistan. Les donnees d'echantillons de selles ayant permis la croissance de V. cholerae non-OI et non-O139 isoles dans un laboratoire national specialise entre 1999 et 2012 onteteanalyseesetevalueesretrospectivement pour leur resistance a Tarn picilline, latetracycline,au chloramphenicol, au co-trimoxazole et a I'ofloxacine.Au total, 95800 echantillonsde selles soumis entre 1999 et 2012 ontproduit3668 souches de V. cholerae, parmi Iesquelles6%etaient des souches de V. cholerae non-OI etnon-O139. Un taux d'isolation eleve a ete observe au cours de I'ete, avec un pic en 2003. Les donnees relatives a la sensibilite aux antimicrobiens ont revele une augmentation de la resistance au co-trimoxazole et a rampicilline, mais les souches restaientfortementsenstblesarofloxacine. Une surveillance active des serotypes etde la sensibilite aux antimicrobiens est essentielle pour prevenir les epidemies et definir des mesures permettant d'enrayer la maladie

Environmental factors associated with emergence of disease with special reference to cholera

Many serious diseases related to environmental factors have recently emerged worldwide. This paper examines such factors, giving particular attention to a newly recognized serotype of Vibrio cholerae, which has caused epidemics in India and Bangladesh