CHARACTERIZATION OF VIBRIO-CHOLERAE-O139 SYNONYM BENGAL ISOLATED FROM PATIENTS WITH CHOLERA-LIKE DISEASE IN BANGLADESH

Vibrio cholerae 0139 (synonym Bengal), a novel serovar of V. cholerae, is the causative agent of large outbreaks of cholera-like illness currently sweeping India and Bangladesh. Eight randomly selected V. cholerae 0139 isolates were studied for their biological properties, which were compared with those of V. cholerae 01 and other V. cholerae non-Ol. The V. cholerae 0139 isolates were characterized by the production of large amount of cholera toxin, hemagglutination, weak hemolytic properties, resistance to polymyxin B, lysogeny with, and production of,kappa type phage (4/8 isolates only), and resistance to both classical and El Tor-specific phages. Thus, V. cholerae 0139 isolates had an overall similarity with V. cholerae 01 El Tor.