The World Health Organization (WHO) has published global cholera statistics for 2023, showing an increase of 13% in reported cases and 71% in deaths compared to 2022. Over 4000 people died last year from this preventable and treatable disease. Unfortunately, 38% of the reported cases constituted of children under five years of age. This report shows that cholera remains a public health problem, especially regarding water sanitation and hygiene.
What is Cholera?
Cholera is an acute diarrheal disease that is spread by contaminated food or water by Vibrio cholerae (V. cholerae) more frequently seen in Africa and Southeast Asia.
Cholera needs to be treated immediately upon the start of the symptoms, or else it can develop into severe dehydration and even death within hours. The start of the symptoms is usually 12 hours to 5 days after the infection.
Even though there would be no presentation of symptoms in most people infected with V. cholerae, the bacteria can still infect other people for 1-10 days, spreading usually by contamination of the water sources with feces.
Cholera is closely linked to inadequate access to clean water and lack of sanitation. Humanitarian crises that cause displacement of populations into crowded areas, climate change, and unplanned urbanization increase the risk of cholera transmission. Therefore, in the prevention of cholera, aside from access to diagnostic methods, vaccines, and urgent treatment onset, also economic development and proper urbanization policies are needed.
Diagnosis of cholera is performed by laboratory tests like culture or Real-Time PCR from stool samples. Rapid access to treatment is essential during cholera outbreaks, since with early and proper treatment, the case fatality rate remains below 1%. However, diagnosis can be tricky since the cholera symptoms (diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and dehydration) can also be present in other gastrointestinal infections. Real-time PCR Kits like Bosphore Gastroenteritis Panel Kit v4 can detect 24 gastrointestinal pathogens including V. cholerae therefore enabling prompt start of treatment.
