Islam M S, Drasar B S, Bradley D J
Department of Tropical Hygiene, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK.
Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 1990 May-Jun;84(3):422-4. doi: 10.1016/0035-9203(90)90345-f.
Cholera epidemics occur twice a year in Bangladesh. During epidemics, Vibrio cholerae O1 are isolated from patients, as well as from the surface water, but the bacteria disappear during inter-epidemic periods. Their reservoirs or sites of survival and multiplication during inter-epidemic period are still unknown. The present survival study in the laboratory explored the role of an aquatic plant, Lemna minor (duckweed), as a possible reservoir. L. minor was added to sea-salt solution at pH 8.5, containing V. cholerae. Survival of V. cholerae on L. minor, in water on which L. minor was floating, and in control water (without L. minor) was monitored at regular intervals. Survival of both environmental and clinical strains of V. cholerae was assessed by viable counts on thiosulphate-citrate-bile salt-sucrose agar. It was observed that both strains survived better on L. minor than in water on which L. minor was floating or in control water. It is suggested that plants may serve as an effective environmental reservoir for V. cholerae either through a non-specific association or by interaction with V. cholerae in commensal relationship.
霍乱疫情在孟加拉国每年发生两次。疫情期间，可从患者以及地表水中分离出霍乱弧菌O1，但在疫情间歇期这些细菌会消失。在疫情间歇期，它们的储存宿主或生存及繁殖场所仍然未知。目前在实验室进行的生存研究探讨了一种水生植物——浮萍作为可能的储存宿主的作用。将浮萍添加到含有霍乱弧菌的pH值为8.5的海盐溶液中。定期监测霍乱弧菌在浮萍上、浮萍漂浮的水中以及对照水（不含浮萍）中的存活情况。通过硫代硫酸盐-柠檬酸盐-胆盐-蔗糖琼脂上的活菌计数评估霍乱弧菌环境菌株和临床菌株的存活情况。观察到两种菌株在浮萍上的存活情况均优于在浮萍漂浮的水中或对照水中。研究表明，植物可能通过非特异性关联或通过与霍乱弧菌形成共生关系相互作用，作为霍乱弧菌有效的环境储存宿主。
