Transmission of Vibrio cholera O1 Serotype Inaba in a Rural Area of Qazvin, Iran Associated with Drinking Water

In this study, we characterized twelve Vibrio cholerae isolates from stool specimens of suspected diarrheal patients and one isolate from water sample in a rural area in Qazvin, Iran by Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) in order to identify the source of infection. All isolates were determined as V. cholerae O1 serotype Inaba by serotyping and were resistant to co-trimoxazole, nalidixic acid and furazolidone and susceptible to ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, erythromycin, cefexime and doxycycline and showed intermediate susceptibility to chloramphenicole. The MIC of the isolates to erythromycin was 1 μg mL-1. The PFGE pattern of all 13 isolates were identical showing transmission of the same strain from contaminated water to all patients. The main difference between the epidemiology of cholera in our country during past years was variation between serotypes from Ogawa to Inaba. From present results it can be concluded that all strains of V. cholera O1 have similar pattern of PFGE and the source of contamination may be same for all infected patients.