Comparative analysis of cytotoxin, hemolysin, hemagglutinin and exocellular enzymes among clinical and environmental isolates of vibrio cholerae O139 and non-O1, non-O139.

The presence of three major virulence genes toxR, tcpA and ctxA as well as expression of several putative virulence factors were compared in 12 Vibrio cholerae O139 and non-O1,non-O139 strains of clinical and environmental origin. All the strains possessed the gene encoding the regulatory protein TOXR. None of the non-O1, non-O139 strains as well as one of the O139 environmental strains carried the genes for ctxA and tcpA. Statistically significant differences in hemagglutinin and hemolysin production were observed amongst the strains depending on the source of their isolation. Expression of extracellular enzymes such as protease, elastase, neuraminidase, phospholipase A and phospholipase C, however, did not vary significantly from the groups of strains isolated from different sources.