Haemagglutinating property & cell surface hydrophobicity of Vibrio cholerae 0139.

Cell-associated haemagglutinating activity was detected in all the epidemic strains of V. cholerae 0139 and 01, isolated in different parts of the country, with erythrocytes from rabbit, rat, chicken and guinea pig. Sheep erythrocytes were unresponsive to both groups of strains. While D-mannose, alpha-methyl-D-mannoside, glucosamine, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, thyroglobuline were effective inhibitors of the haemagglutinating activity of the V. cholerae 0139 and 01 strains, galactose and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine sensitive haemagglutinins (HAs) were detected in the V. cholerae 01 but not in the V. cholerae 0139 strains. The best medium for expression of HAs in V. cholerae 01 and 0139 strains were observed to be penassay broth and tryptic soy broth respectively. The expression of HA in V. cholerae 01 was stimulated by Ca++ and Fe in the growth medium unlike that of V. cholerae 0139 which remained unaffected by these ions.