Dynamics of contamination by Vibrio cholerae of water bodies of the Rostov-on-Don environment and characteristics of biological properties of isolated strains

Objective: retrospective analysis of the results of monitoring studies of environmental water bodies in Rostov-on-Don for the presence of V. cholerae for the period from 1989 to 2023 at stationary sampling points assigned to the Rostov-on-Don Anti-Plague Institute of Rospotrebnadzor, identification of trends and features of the dynamics of isolation and biological properties isolated strains. Materials and methods: in the period from 1989 to 2023, 4362 samples from aquatic ecosystems were examined. The organization and conduct of research was carried out in accordance with regulatory and methodological documents (SanPiN 3.3686-21, MUK 4.2.3745- 22, MUK 4.2.3746-22). Sequencing of isolated strains was performed on the MiSeq (Illumina) platform. Results: during the analyzed period, V. cholerae strains were found in all studied reservoirs of the Rostov-on-Don: in the Don, Temernik and Dead Donets rivers, mainly in July and August. Of the 122 isolated strains, 8 are epidemiologically significant (toxigenic strains) and 114 are nontoxigenic. The largest number of strains was isolated in 2022 — 21 strains. V. cholerae strains O1 (119 strains) and O139 (3) of serogroups, biovar classic and El Tor (Ogawa, Inaba and Gikoshima serovars) were found. Conclusions: epidemiological risks of the introduction of the cholerae pathogen from endemic countries, as well as from neighboring countries, in cases of complications of the epidemic of this infection, remain. In the surface reservoirs of the Rostov-on-Don, there are favorable conditions for the circulation of V. cholerae and the risk of spreading infection by water, in case of contamination by the cholerae pathogen of aquatic ecosystems.

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