Vibrio cholerae killed whole cells (WC-OCV)

Vibrio cholerae killed whole cells are the primary antigenic components of inactivated oral cholera vaccines (OCVs), such as Dukoral, Shanchol, and Euvichol [WHO, 2017]. These cells are prepared by inactivating various strains of Vibrio cholerae, typically including the O1 serogroup (Inaba and Ogawa biotypes) and sometimes the O139 serogroup, using heat or chemicals like formalin [Clemens et al., 2017]. Although not a single molecular target like a receptor or enzyme, these killed cells function as a complex immunogen that stimulates the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) [Lopez et al., 2014]. The primary biological response is the induction of mucosal immunity through the production of secretory IgA (sIgA) and systemic vibriocidal antibodies, which prevent the live pathogen from colonizing the small intestine [Wierzba et al., 2015]. This mechanism effectively neutralizes the bacteria before they can produce the cholera toxin responsible for the severe secretory diarrhea characteristic of the disease [Bhattacharya et al., 2013]. These killed whole-cell preparations are crucial for public health interventions in cholera-endemic regions and during humanitarian crises to prevent large-scale outbreaks [CDC, 2022].

Other names

Inactivated Vibrio choleraeKilled whole-cell oral cholera vaccineWCVibrio cholerae O1 and O139 killed cellsKilled whole-cell Vibrio cholerae

Induction of mucosal and systemic immunity through the production of secretory IgA and vibriocidal antibodies against bacterial surface antigens [Clemens et al., 2017].