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Cholera is a life-threatening diarrhoeal disease, which mainly affects inhabitants of developing countries due to poor socio-economic conditions and lack of access to potable water and sanitation. Toxigenic Vibrio cholerae are the aetiological agents of cholera. These bacteria are autochthonous to aquatic environments, hence water plays a central role both in the epidemiology and transmission of cholera. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of V. cholerae from 32 sites of major rivers in Mpumalanga province of South Africa using a polyphasic approach. Water samples (594) collected over for 4 months were cultured on thiosulphate-citrate-bile salt-sucrose agar, and oxidase positive (88) isolates were subjected to biochemical tests and duplex polymerase chain reaction targeting the outer membrane protein (ompW) and cholera toxin (ctxAB) genes. All ompW PCR positive V. cholerae isolates were subjected to rfbO1 PCR. Fifteen isolates from Crocodile, Komati and Gutshwa rivers were assigned to V. cholerae by both biochemical tests and PCR, of which no isolates were positive for ctxAB and rfbO1 genes. The polyphasic approach was effective at revealing non-O1 and non-toxigenic V. cholerae in some rivers. Such information is important for raising awareness regarding the presence of V. cholerae so that precautionary measures are taken on time.

Includes bibliographical references. / 146, [65] leaves, [18] leaves of plates : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / The major aim of this thesis is to establish whether toxin-coregulated pilus (TCP) is significant in the pathogenesis of Vibrio cholerae strains of the alternative El Tor biotype. The study investigates whether TCP are assembled by El Tor strains during growth in vitro, evaluates the in vivo significance of TCP by constructing tcpA mutants of several El Tor strains and comparing their in vivo behaviour with wild-type and determines whether the TCP produced by the 017 cosmid clones is solely cosmid-derived or whether the chromosomal tcp operon is also expressed. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology, 1996

Bibliography: leaves 135-166. / 166, [139] leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Provides insights into the structure/function relationships within the El Tor haemolysin (HlyA). Generates some constructs used to determine the three-dimensional structure of the protein and of the pore. The genetic organisation of the region flanking the hly locus suggests a pathogenicity island. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology, 1998?

iii, 258 leaves : graphs ; 30 cm / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Adelaide, 1981

xii, 205, xxviii leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Dept. of Microbiology, University of Adelaide, 1980

Bibliography: leaves 135-166. / 166, [139] leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Provides insights into the structure/function relationships within the El Tor haemolysin (HlyA). Generates some constructs used to determine the three-dimensional structure of the protein and of the pore. The genetic organisation of the region flanking the hly locus suggests a pathogenicity island. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology, 1998?

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Adelaide, 1986. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology, 1988. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 169-208).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology, 1989. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 143-172).