Vibrio cholerae Infections
- Carol O. Tacket, MD
Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text.
Excerpt
To the Editor.— The article entitled "Cholera on the Texas Gulf Coast" (1982;247:1598) failed to make the critical distinction between Vibrio cholerae 01, the cause of epidemic cholera, and non-01 V cholerae, which, until recently, was included in a poorly defined category referred to as nonagglutinating vibrios or non-cholera vibrios. Although these two organisms are biochemically identical and differ serologically only in their ability to agglutinate in O-group 1 antiserum, they should be distinguished because they have different clinical, pathogenic, and epidemiologic characteristics.
Clinically, both organisms may produce severe, watery diarrhea. However, unlike most cholera cases, persons with non-01 V cholerae diarrhea may have fever and have blood in their stools.1 Non-01 V cholerae is also associated with infection at extraintestinal sites, eg, the blood, ear, wounds, and the CNS, while V cholerae 01 infects only the gastrointestinal or biliary tract.2
Both organisms may cause diarrhea by producing
