@article {38410, title = {Occurrence and distribution of Vibrio cholerae in the coastal environment of Peru}, journal = {Environmental MicrobiologyEnvironmental Microbiology}, volume = {6}, year = {2004}, type = {10.1111/j.1462-2920.2004.00601.x}, abstract = {The occurrence and distribution of Vibrio cholerae in sea water and plankton along the coast of Peru were studied from October 1997 to June 2000, and included the 1997{\textendash}98 El Ni{\~n}o event. Samples were collected at four sites in coastal waters off Peru at monthly intervals. Of 178 samples collected and tested, V. cholerae O1 was cultured from 10 (5.6\%) samples, and V. cholerae O1 was detected by direct fluorescent antibody assay in 26 out of 159 samples tested (16.4\%). Based on the number of cholera cases reported in Peru from 1997 to 2000, a significant correlation was observed between cholera incidence and elevated sea surface temperature (SST) along the coast of Peru (P~<~0.001). From the results of this study, coastal sea water and zooplankton are concluded to be a reservoir for V. cholerae in Peru. The climate{\textendash}cholera relationship observed for the 1997{\textendash}98 El Ni{\~n}o year suggests that an early warning system for cholera risk can be established for Peru and neighbouring Latin American countries.}, isbn = {1462-2920}, author = {Gil, Ana I. and Louis, Val{\'e}rie R. and Rivera, Irma N. G. and Lipp, Erin and Huq, Anwar and Lanata, Claudio F. and Taylor, David N. and Russek-Cohen, Estelle and Choopun, Nipa and Sack, R. Bradley and Rita R. Colwell} }