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Cholera Outbreaks pp 165–180Cite as

Role of Phages in the Epidemiology of Cholera

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Part of the book series: Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology ((CT MICROBIOLOGY,volume 379))

Abstract

Understanding the genetic and ecological factors which support the periodic emergence of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae causing outbreaks of cholera in regions where the disease is endemic, is vital to develop preventive measures. Besides environmental factors which are not precisely defined, bacteriophages, and horizontally transmissible genetic elements are known to have a significant role in the epidemiology and evolution of the pathogen. Cholera epidemics are also known to be self-limiting, and hence identifying natural factors which contribute to the collapse of epidemics may have important implications in controlling the disease. Phages have been shown to play a crucial role in modulating cholera epidemics, and enhance V. cholerae evolution through a bactericidal selection process which favors the emergence of new clones.

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Acknowledgments

Research in the laboratory of SMF were funded in part by National Institutes of Health grants 2RO1-GM068851, under a subagreement between the Harvard Medical School, and the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (Icddr, b). The Icddr, b is supported by countries and agencies which share its concern for the health problems of developing countries.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Food and Water Borne Diseases, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, 68, Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Sharani, Mohakhali, 1212, Dhaka, Bangladesh

    Shah M. Faruque

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  1. Shah M. Faruque
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Correspondence to Shah M. Faruque .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Gurgaon, Haryana, India

    G. Balakrish Nair

  2. National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan

    Yoshifumi Takeda

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Faruque, S.M. (2013). Role of Phages in the Epidemiology of Cholera. In: Nair, G., Takeda, Y. (eds) Cholera Outbreaks. Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology, vol 379. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/82_2013_358

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