Analysis of clinical and environmental Vibrio cholerae O1 strains obtained during 2008-2015 in Nigeria showed that lineages Afr9 and Afr12 carrying cholera toxin and Vibrio pathogenicity island 1 can be isolated from water. Our findings raise concerns about the role of the environment in maintenance and emergence of cholera outbreaks in Nigeria.
Keywords: Nigeria; Vibrio cholerae; Vibrio cholerae lineages; antimicrobial resistance; bacteria; diarrhea; enteric infections; human infection; outbreak; virulence; waterborne infection.