[Emergence of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae strains on non-O1 serotype as a result of the exchange of genetic information].

To study the possibilities of genetic exchange between Vibrio cholerae of O1 and non-O1 serogroups, donor and recipient strains were developed. It was shown that toxicogenic strains of V. cholerae non-O1 appeared in vitro and in vivo as the result of conjugative transfer of rfb-NAG genes from avirulent V. cholerae non-O1 strains to toxicogenic strains belonging to V. cholerae O1 classical and eltor biovars. These genes are responsible for synthesis of O antigen of non-O1 serotype. It was established that foreign rfb-NAG genes have no effect on virulence properties of a causative agent of cholera. Apparently, pathogenic V. cholerae non-O1 strains with cholera toxin genes are generated due to transfer of rfb-NAG genes under natural conditions.