MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY OF VIBRIO-CHOLERAE O1 ISOLATES FROM COLOMBIA

A total of 173 Vibrio cholerae O1 isolates from the recent cholera epi demic in Colombia was analysed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the genes encoding the A subunit of cholera toxin (ctxA) and the z onula occludens toxin (zot), and by ribotyping. All isolates were posi tive for ctx A and tot, which was confirmed by hybridisation, Ribotypi ng with restriction endonuclease BglI digestion of total DNA revealed three ribotypes: B5a comprising 165 (96.4%) isolates, and two new desi gnated ribotypes B20 and B21a in six (3.5%) isolates and two (1.1%) is olates, respectively, These findings have significant public health im plications.