Vibrio cholerae O1 Inaba, El Tor biotype (V. cholerae O1 Inaba (El Tor))

Vibrio cholerae O1 Inaba, El Tor biotype is a Gram-negative, comma-shaped bacterium that serves as the primary causative agent of the ongoing seventh cholera pandemic (CDC, 2022). This specific biotype is distinguished by its enhanced environmental survival and its production of the cholera toxin, which induces massive secretion of water and electrolytes into the intestinal lumen, leading to severe dehydration (StatPearls, 2023). The Inaba serotype is defined by its unique O-antigen structure, a critical lipopolysaccharide component that determines the host's immune response and is the basis for serological classification (PubMed, 2019). In clinical practice, this organism is the target of both prophylactic and therapeutic interventions. Vaccines like Vaxchora utilize live-attenuated strains of this biotype to stimulate protective mucosal IgA antibodies against the O1 antigen (FDA, 2016). Additionally, while rehydration is the cornerstone of treatment, antibiotics such as doxycycline are employed to reduce the duration of bacterial shedding and the severity of the illness (WHO, 2023).

Other names

Vibrio cholerae serogroup O1 serotype Inaba biotype El TorV. cholerae O1 InabaCholera bacterium

Vaccines induce mucosal immunity (IgA) against the O1 lipopolysaccharide and cholera toxin; antibiotics inhibit bacterial growth through various mechanisms such as protein synthesis inhibition (StatPearls, 2023; FDA, 2016).