Isolation of O1 serovars of Vibrio cholerae from water by serologically specific method.

Vibrio cholerae bacteria of the serological variety O1 were consistently isolated from water samples by passing the water with added Tween 20 through columns packed with polystyrene beads coated with antibodies against the O1 antigenic determinants. The beads from the columns were washed, transferred to alkaline peptone broth, and incubated. The O1 serovars were isolated and identified by established procedures.