Understanding the nature and diversity of Vibrio cholerae at its global source

Cholera continues to cause large-scale epidemics with millions of cases. It is generally accepted that these outbreaks are linked to infection by Vibrio cholerae from local environmental sources. Our work has challenged this notion by showing that major cholera epidemics are caused by a single bacterial lineage repeatedly spreading from a source in the Bay of Bengal, through human activity. This presents a paradox: while epidemic cholera emanating from local environmental sources is not sufficient to explain the patterns of cholera outbreaks in regions outside of South Asia, the unique ecology seen around the Ganges Delta in the Bay of Bengal represents the natural home of global epidemic cholera. 

Our team will combine expertise in genomics, microbiology and modelling to allow us to decipher the link between the environmental populations and clinical disease in this unique global source for pandemic cholera.