RESUMEN
Introduction: Cholera is one of the most important diarrheal diseases in India and continues to be an important health problem in India. Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by toxigenic strains of Vibrio cholera serogroups O1 and O139. V. cholerae O1 belonging to the El Tor biotype is the most common serogroup in India. Recently there was an outbreak of acute watery diarrhea in Mant and Nauhjheel Blocks of Mathura district, in May 2017. Objectives: To determine the cause, source and extent of the acute diarrheal disease outbreak in district of Mathura by conducting environmental and microbiological investigations Method: The study was carried out in the department of Microbiology, S.N. Medical College, Agra in association with Department of Community Medicine, S.N. Medical College, Agra. This study was conducted on the water and stool samples collected from Mant and Nauhjheel blocks of Mathura district. Water samples from 2 ice candy factories and 7 Stool samples from suspected cases were collected from areas reporting the maximum number of cases of acute watery diarrhoea, and tested for diarrhoeagenic pathogens in the laboratory. Isolation and identification of pathogen was done according to the standard methodology. Results: Of the 2 water samples and 7 stool samples tested 2 stool samples were found to be positive for V. cholerae. The major reason for the outbreak was traced to be consumption of contaminated water. Conclusion: Provisions of better sanitation and safe drinking water with adequate knowledge of proper hygiene is necessary to avoid recurrence of outbreaks due to cholera. Also continuous surveillance of the outbreak is necessary to avoid the spread of transmission.