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Original Research
Virulence factors in environmental and clinical Vibrio cholerae from endemic areas in Kenya
Submitted: 26 April 2012 | Published: 17 October 2014
About the author(s)
Racheal W. Kimani, Institute of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, KenyaAnne W. T. Muigai, Faculty of Science, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya
Willie Sang, Centre for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kenya
John N. Kiiru, Centre for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kenya
Samuel Kariuki, Centre for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kenya
Abstract
Objectives: The objectives of the study were to determine the environmental reservoirs of V. cholerae during an interepidemic period in Kenya and to characterise their virulence factors.
Methods: One hundred (50 clinical, 50 environmental) samples were tested for V. cholerae isolates using both simplex and multiplex polymerase chain reaction.
Results: Both sediments and algae from fishing and landing bays yielded isolates of V. cholerae. Clinical strains were characterised along with the environmental strains for comparison. All clinical strains harboured ctxA, tcpA (El Tor), ompU, zot, ace, toxR, hylA (El Tor) and tcpI genes. Prevalence for virulence genes in environmental strains was hylA (El Tor) (10%), toxR (24%), zot (22%), ctxA (12%),tcpI (8%), hylA (26%) and tcpA (12%).
Conclusion: The study sites, including landing bays and beaches, contained environmental V. cholerae, suggesting that these may be reservoirs for frequent epidemics. Improved hygiene and fish-handling techniques will be important in reducing the persistence of reservoirs.
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