Rapid detection of Vibrio cholerae 0139 in faecal specimens by coagglutination.

We compared the conventional culture method with the coagglutination (CoA) test for detecting V. cholerae 0139 antigen in a 4 h faecal enrichment culture. The CoA test reacted positively in all 13 culture positive stool specimens from patients with clinical cholera and negatively in all 23 culture negative specimens from non-diarrhoeal healthy controls. The test also did not show cross reaction with V. cholerae 01 antigen or with any of the enterobacterial antigens of the coliforms. The CoA test was found to be technically simple, rapid and reliable in diagnosing V. cholerae 0139 infection.