Cholera, a disease often related to poor sanitation and contaminated water, has a long history of causing widespread outbreaks and remarkable mortality rates in different regions of the world. Understanding the basics of cholera is crucial for both prevention and effective response to outbreaks.
Understanding Cholera
Cholera is an acute diarrheal illness caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The disease is primarily transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated food or water. Vibrio cholerae is often present in environments with poor sanitation and insufficient hygiene practices, making it a significant public health concern in many developing countries.
There are many serogroups of V. cholerae, but only two – O1 and O139 – cause outbreaks. V. cholerae O1 has caused all recent outbreaks. V. cholerae O139 caused outbreaks in the past, but recently has only been identified in sporadic cases. There is no difference in the illness caused by the two serogroups.
Causes of Cholera
The main cause of cholera is the ingestion of water or food contaminated with Vibrio cholerae bacteria. Infection can occur through various ways, such as:
- Water Sources
- Food
- Poor Sanitation
Symptoms of Cholera:
Cholera symptoms can range from mild to severe, with symptoms typically appearing within a few hours to several days after transmission. Common symptoms include:
- Profuse watery diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Dehydration
- Muscle cramps
- Shock: In severe cases, cholera can lead to hypovolemic shock, a life-threatening condition resulting from inadequate blood volume.
Cholera Cases are Rising
According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), as of 23 January 2024, 50,440 new cholera cases, including 483 new deaths, had been reported worldwide in December 2023.
The five countries reporting the most cases are Afghanistan (12,425), Syria (11,200), Zimbabwe (6902), Sudan (5742), and Mozambique (4257).
The five countries reporting the most new deaths are Sudan (146), Zimbabwe (127), Zambia (95), Ethiopia (69), and Congo (14).
In addition, 184,272 new cases were reported or collected backward from before 30 November 2023. In 2023, 957,050 cholera cases, including 5518 deaths, were reported worldwide.
How to Control Cholera?
Authorities outline a series of actions to prevent and control cholera. This includes improving and reinforcing water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) systems, improving reach to preventive oral cholera vaccines, improving disease surveillance in PAMI areas (that are most affected areas by cholera), and containing outbreaks through early detection and rapid response.
Diagnosis Methods for Cholera
Diagnosing cholera typically involves a combination of clinical assessment, laboratory tests, and epidemiological investigation. Common diagnostic methods include:
1. Stool Culture: Considered the gold standard, stool culture involves isolating and identifying Vibrio cholerae bacteria from a stool sample in a laboratory setting.
2. Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs): RDTs detect specific antigens of Vibrio cholerae in stool samples using immunochromatographic methods. Rapid diagnostic tests ensure quick results, typically within minutes to hours, making them important for rapid diagnosis, particularly in resource-limited settings or during outbreaks.
3. PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction): PCR assays amplify and detect the DNA of Vibrio cholerae in stool samples with high sensitivity and specificity. This molecular diagnostic technique is beneficial for approving cholera cases during outbreaks and for research purposes.
4. Clinical Diagnosis: Clinical diagnosis consists of considering symptoms such as profuse watery diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration, with considering factors like recent travel to cholera-endemic regions or consumption of contaminated water sources.
Fast and accurate diagnosis of cholera is crucial for effective treatment, proper infection control measures, and targeted public health interventions to prevent further spread of the disease.
What is the Most Commonly Used Test Kit for Diagnosis of Cholera?
The RapidFor Cholera O1/O139 Rapid Test Kit is one of the most used test kits for diagnosis of Cholera disease. The RapidFor Cholera O1/O139 Rapid Test Kit offers a convenient and efficient solution for detecting Cholera. This combo test kit is designed to detect the most common pathogenic two serotypes of Cholera in human feces, which are O1 and O139. Besides quick and accurate test results, it has numerous advantages such as;
- Effortless sample collection
- Moderate and effective design
- Safe and minimalistic
- Visual and clear results.
REFERENCES
- Cholera worldwide overview. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. (2024a, January 29). https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/all-topics-z/cholera/surveillance-and-disease-data/cholera-monthly
- World Health Organization. (n.d.-f). Multi-country outbreak of cholera, external situation report #11 – 12 February 2024. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/multi-country-outbreak-of-cholera–external-situation-report–11—12-february-2024
- World Health Organization. (n.d.-c). Cholera upsurge. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/emergencies/situations/cholera-upsurge/
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022d, November 14). Cholera – vibrio cholerae infection. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/cholera/index.html
- World Health Organization. (n.d.-d). Cholera. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cholera
