[The characteristic properties of Vibrio cholerae eltor isolated from environmental objects on the territory of the former USSR during the 7th cholera pandemic].

The properties of 22,382 V. eltor strains isolated from environmental objects on the territory of different climatic and geographical zones during the period of 1970-1988 were studied. The study was made on the morphology of their colonies, the agglutinability of the strains by cholera O serum, type-specific serum and RO serum, their capacity for being lyzed by V. eltor bacteriophage, their hemolytic activity and virulence. Differences in the occurrence of strains with any of the above-mentioned properties, depending on the object from which they were isolate, the climatic and geographical zone and the intensity of the epidemiological situation with regard to cholera.