TY - JOUR AU - Mohamed, Ahmed Abade AU - Oundo, Joseph AU - Kariuki, Samuel AU - Boga, Hamadi AU - Sharif, Shanaz AU - Akhwale, Willis AU - Omolo, Jared AU - Amwayi, Anyangu AU - Mutonga, David AU - Kareko, David AU - Njeru, Mercy AU - Li, Shan AU - Breiman, Robert AU - Stine, O. Colin T1 - Molecular Epidemiology of Geographically Dispersed Vibrio cholerae, Kenya, January 2009–May 2010 T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2012 VL - 18 IS - 6 SP - 925 SN - 1080-6059 AB - Numerous outbreaks of cholera have occurred in Kenya since 1971. To more fully understand the epidemiology of cholera in Kenya, we analyzed the genetic relationships among 170 Vibrio cholerae O1 isolates at 5 loci containing variable tandem repeats. The isolates were collected during January 2009–May 2010 from various geographic areas throughout the country. The isolates grouped genetically into 5 clonal complexes, each comprising a series of genotypes that differed by an allelic change at a single locus. No obvious correlation between the geographic locations of the isolates and their genotypes was observed. Nevertheless, geographic differentiation of the clonal complexes occurred. Our analyses showed that multiple genetic lineages of V. cholerae were simultaneously infecting persons in Kenya. This finding is consistent with the simultaneous emergence of multiple distinct genetic lineages of V. cholerae from endemic environmental reservoirs rather than recent introduction and spread by travelers. KW - phenotypes KW - genotypes KW - Vibrio cholerae KW - outbreaks KW - bacteria KW - Kenya KW - cholera KW - characterization KW - molecular epidemiology DO - 10.3201/eid1806.111774 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/18/6/11-1774_article ER - End of Reference