Isolation of Vibrio cholerae O1 from oysters--Mobile Bay, 1991-1992.

On July 2, 1991, during routine monitoring, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) isolated toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1, serotype Inaba, biotype EI Tor from oysters and intestinal contents of an oyster-eating fish taken from closed oyster beds in Mobile Bay. This isolate was indistinguishable from the Latin American epidemic strain and differed from the strain of V. cholerae O1 that is endemic to the Gulf Coast. This report summarizes the public health response to this isolation of V. cholerae O1.