Researchers from the North South University (NSU) Genome Research Institute (NGRI) have detected a drastic increase the highly dangerous vibrio cholerae O1 bacteria, which is responsible for cholera, in samples from various water bodies collected recently.
The team first confirmed presence of vibrio cholerae O1 in Dhaka water bodies in 2017. New research shows that presence of the bacteria has increased significantly since then.
The research team is led by NGRI Director Dr Muhammad Maqsud Hossain. They tested water bodies in both Dhaka city corporations in the latest round of sample collection between March and April this year.
Dr Maqsud told Dhaka Tribune: "Vibrio cholerae O1 is highly responsible for severe diarrheal disease. Cholera is a severe diarrheal disease spread by eating or drinking contaminated food or water.
“There are two main types of vibrio cholerae: cholerae O1 and non-O1 strains. So far, we have been detecting mostly non-O1 strains and some O1 strains, but this time O1 strains were found in 18 places in Dhaka city, suggesting that it is spreading quickly,” he added.
The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) last month warned that the cholera outbreak in Dhaka had already overwhelmed various hospitals.
The researchers said vibrio cholerae was identified in the Turag River, Ashulia, Tongi, Hatirjheel, Rampura, Banasree, and Nagdarpar, as well as in the city's southern regions and river systems, including Kamrangirchar near the Buriganga river and Rupgonj near the Shitalakhya river. This is in stark contrast to 2021, when the team discovered little bacteria in water samples from these areas.
North South University received a grant of Tk2.8 crore from Global Challenges Research Funds (GCRF), UK for the research project “Cholera Antibiotic Resistance in Bangladesh (CARE): big data mining and machine learning to improve diagnostics and treatment selection.” The project aims to address the need for rapid diagnosis of cholera by developing tools to help early detection and provide real-time intervention in outbreaks of cholera.
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The research is being conducted through collaboration between the NGRI, Dr Tania Dottorini, associate professor at the University of Nottingham's School of Veterinary Medicine, and Dr Munirul Alam, senior scientist at the icddrb, and Dr Tahmina Shirin, director at the IEDCR.
Distinguished Professor Rita R Colwell of the University of Maryland, president of the International Advisory Board of North South University, will provide expert advice and guidance to ensure the project's success.
"This is an incredible opportunity for the people of Bangladesh to gain access to cutting-edge cholera diagnosis equipment and treatment," said Dr Maqsud.
The team has already sequenced several hundred vibrio cholerae genomes with funding from the project, and by combining real-time DNA sequencing (using the Oxford Nanopore MinION) with cloud-based solutions for large data storage and remote data analysis, researchers will be able to provide real-time feedback at the local level and share information globally.
