Recent news from the scientific community revealed that researchers have identified a significant decline in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) within cholera-causing bacteria. This crucial shift has been observed primarily in O139 genomes, one of the two serogroups known to cause infectious cholera disease that can lead to epidemics and pandemics.
Key Findings
More than two hundred serogroups of the cholera bacterium are known to scientists, but only O1 and O139 are recognized as dangerous pathogens. When analyzing the genome of O139, researchers discovered why it has been waning since initially overtaking O1. Two distinct genomic evolutionary changes occurred, dictating the type of cholera toxin produced and the level of AMR exhibited by the bacteria.
The most notable alterations were found within the cholera toxin genes and the AMR portfolio. With the reduction in AMR capacity reflected in the O139 serogroup, this bacterium potentially lost its competitive advantage against the O1 serogroup.
Understanding Cholera
Cholera is a severe and life-threatening infectious disease that poses a significant public health risk worldwide. This acute illness, characterized by profuse watery diarrhea, vomiting, and leg cramps, is caused by infection of the intestine with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.
While cholera infection can often be mild or even asymptomatic, it sometimes takes a severe course. The disease spreads primarily through the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the cholera bacterium, and it can spread quickly in regions with inadequate sewage treatment and unsafe drinking water.
Vaccination Against Cholera
In terms of prevention, there are three World Health Organization (WHO) pre-qualified oral cholera vaccines (OCV) currently available: Dukoral, Shanchol, and Euvichol-Plus. To ensure full protection against the disease, it is recommended that individuals receive two doses of any of these vaccines.
Recommendations for Future Research
Given the importance of monitoring potential changes in cholera bacteria, continuous surveillance is necessary. It’s crucial to keep track of whether any serotypes or serogroups are gaining antibiotic resistance over time, as they could become significant outbreak lineages at any moment.
To continue to effectively combat cholera, it’s important that vaccines and treatments are regularly reassessed for their efficiency against any newly evolving variants. This proactive approach can help public health officials and medical professionals stay ahead of the curve, ensuring the best possible outcomes for global public health.
The source of this valuable information is credited to TH.