Objectives: Cholera is an emergent infection due to Vibrio cholerae. Studying clinical and biochemical characteristics of cholera helps doctors in diagnosis, treatment, following up and prognosis. Aims: 1. To determine some clinical and biochemical characteristics of cholera patients in 2010 epidemics in Ben Tre province. 2. To evaluate the relation of leucocytosis to diarrheal duration. Materials and methods: Patients diagnosed as cholera treated in Nguyen Dinh Chieu Hospital and Cu Lao Minh Hospital, Ben Tre province, since May 2010 to September 2010. Results: 54 patients were enrolled in this study (males 16, females 38). All patients had Ogawa positive. More than 60% pts stayed in hospitals over 96 hours. Most of pts had diarrheal duration over 48 hours, 44.5% more than 72 hours. 20.3% pts had water loss in level 3. 50% pts had leucocytosis, in them 16.7% had over 15.109/L. 18,5% had acute renal failure. Group with leucocytosis had higher rate of diarrhoea over 72 hours than group without leucocytosis (77.7% vs. 36%). Conclusions: 1. Most of pts had long diarrheal duration. 20.3% pts had water loss in level 3. 50% pts had leucocytosis, in them 16.7% had over 15.109/L. 18,5% had acute renal failure. 2. Leucocytosis may be related to the diarrheal duration.

For establishing the favourable media for growth of Phaeoacremonium parasiticum, the fungus was inoculated in five different media (Potato Dextrose Broth (PDB), Host Extract (50%) + PDB (50%) (HE + PDB), and the solid media viz., Rice Bran (RB), Maize Meal (MM) and Wheat Bran (WB)) at pH of 6.5 and incubated at a temperature of 30˚C ± 1˚C. The solid media were added with water at the rate of 70 ml/100g of solid substrate. After 30 days of inoculation, conidial population of P. parasiticum in liquid media was lower compared to conidial population in solid media. In solid media, MM media showed the highest conidial population (9.56 log•cfu/g) followed by WB (9.50 log•cfu/g) and RB (9.38 log•cfu/g). Hence, Maize Meal media (MM: Water = 100 g:70 ml) at pH of 6.5, incubation temperature: 30˚C ± 1˚C for 30 days would be the standard technique for mass production of P. parasiticum.