GENOMIC FINGERPRINTING OF VIBRIO-CHOLERAE O139 FROM GERMANY AND SOUTH-ASIA IN COMPARISON WITH STRAINS OF VIBRIO-CHOLERAE O1 AND OTHER SEROGROUPS

The genomic position of the cholera toxin genes ctx, zot and ace and t he chromosomal restriction fragment pattern (RFLP) of Vibrio cholerae O139, the emerging epidemic cholera strain on the Indian subcontinent, were determined in comparison with V. cholerae serogroup O1 and other V. cholerae serogroups. V. cholerae serogroup O139 and serogroup O1 e ltor strains revealed considerable genetic relatedness with respect to their RFLP, genomic position, and copy number of the cholera toxin ge nes (pathogenic islands), and differed only in the distance between th e sets of the pathogenic islands. However, one O139 isolate from Sri L anka was found to be nontoxinogenic and yielded a different restrictio n fragment pattern. Therefore, the diagnosis of the emerging new epide mic cholera strain O139 must not only rely on the serogroup properties but has to consider toxinogenicity testing as well.