RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Samanta, Prosenjit A1 Saha, Rudra Narayan A1 Chowdhury, Goutam A1 Naha, Arindam A1 Sarkar, Sounak A1 Dutta, Shanta A1 Nandy, Ranjan Kumar A1 Okamoto, Keinosuke A1 Mukhopadhyay, Asish KumarYR 2018 T1 Dissemination of newly emerged polymyxin B sensitive Vibrio cholerae O1 containing Haitian-like genetic traits in different parts of India JF Journal of Medical Microbiology, VO 67 IS 9 SP 1326 OP 1333 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.000783 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1473-5644, AB Purpose. Two natural epidemic biotypes of Vibrio cholerae O1, classical and El Tor, exhibit different patterns of sensitivity against the antimicrobial peptide polymyxin B. This difference in sensitivity has been one of the major markers in biotype classification system for several decades. A recent report regarding the emergence of polymyxin B-sensitive El Tor V. cholerae O1 in Kolkata has motivated us to track the spread of the strains containing this important trait, along with Haitian-like genetic content, in different parts of India. Methodology. We have collected 260 clinical V. cholerae O1 strains from 12 states in India and screened them for polymyxin B susceptibility. Genetic characterization was also performed to study the tcpA, ctxB and rtxA genotypes by allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and nucleotide sequencing. Results. Interestingly, 88.85 % of the isolates were found to be sensitive to polymyxin B. All of the states, with the exception of Assam, had polymyxin B-sensitive V. cholerae strains and complete replacement with this strain was found in eight of the states. However, from 2016 onwards, all the strains tested showed sensitivity to polymyxin B. Allele-specific PCR and sequencing confirmed that all strains possessed Haitian-like genetic traits. Conclusion. Polymyxin B-sensitive strains have begun to spread throughout India and may lead to the revision of the biotype classification. The dissemination of these new variant strains needs to be carefully monitored in different endemic populations through active holistic surveillance to understand their clinical and epidemiological consequences., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/jmm.0.000783