We describe a case of acute cholangitis with bacteremia caused by non-O1 and non-O139 Vibrio cholerae (NOVC) in a 76-year-old man following acute gastroenteritis. The strain, isolated from blood cultures, was identified as serogroup O120. It lacked the cholera toxin gene, but it harbored multiple virulence genes, including hlyA, rtxA, vscV2, and vspD. Risk factors included total gastrectomy, diabetes, and prior biliary interventions. Although the patient's diarrhea had resolved by the time of admission, dietary history and timely blood cultures enabled an accurate diagnosis. This case highlights the invasive potential of NOVC strains harboring alternative virulence determinants in immunocompromised hosts.
Takahashi et al. (2025) studied this question.