| Autor: |
Menezes FG; Federal University of Ceará, Department of Fisheries Engineering, Campus Universitário do Pici, UFC, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil., Neves Sda S; Federal University of Ceará, Department of Fisheries Engineering, Campus Universitário do Pici, UFC, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil., Sousa OV; Marine Sciences Institute (LABOMAR), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil., Vila-Nova CM; Marine Sciences Institute (LABOMAR), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil., Maggioni R; Marine Sciences Institute (LABOMAR), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil., Theophilo GN; The Oswaldo Cruz Institute (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil., Hofer E; The Oswaldo Cruz Institute (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil., Vieira RH; Marine Sciences Institute (LABOMAR), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. |
| Abstrakt: |
The objectives of this study were to detect the presence of Vibrio cholerae in tropical estuaries (Northeastern Brazil) and to search for virulence factors in the environmental isolates. Water and sediment samples were inoculated onto a vibrio-selective medium (TCBS), and colonies with morphological resemblance to V. cholerae were isolated. The cultures were identified phenotypically using a dichotomous key based on biochemical characteristics. The total DNA extracted was amplified by PCR to detect ompW and by multiplex PCR to detect the virulence genes ctx, tcp, zot and rfbO1. The results of the phenotypic and genotypic identification were compared. Nine strains of V. cholerae were identified phenotypically, five of which were confirmed by detection of the species-specific gene ompW. The dichotomous key was efficient at differentiating environmental strains of V. cholerae. Strains of V. cholerae were found in all four estuaries, but none possessed virulence genes. |
