Abstract
IntroductionCholera is a diarrhoea disease caused by the bacterium e. On 13th June 2011, there was a reported outbreak of acute watery diarrhoea at Medinya among people who eat at a mass traditional wedding ceremony in the Western Region of Ghana. We investigated to characterize the outbreak, and implement control and preventive measures.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study. We interviewed health workers, reviewed medical records, conducted environmental assessment and obtained water and stool samples for laboratory investigation. A suspected cholera-case defined as a person with acute watery diarrhoea, with or without vomiting, who ate food prepared at the mass traditional wedding in Medinya on 10th June 2011. We performed univariate and bivariate analysis.ResultsOf the 17 case-patients, 9 (52.9%) were males. The overall attack rate was 11.18% and case fatality rate was 5.9%. The most affected age group was 6-10 years (23.53%) with median age of 20 and ranged 6 to 38 years. Time of onset of symptoms was 2.00am and peaked at 10.am on 13th June. Compared to other food served, fufu with groundnut soup was more likely to have been contaminated (RR=7.3, 95%CI: 1.8-29.3). We isolated e serotype ogawa from stool samples. We observed open defaecation and poor personal hygiene.Conclusione serotype ogawa caused a high case-fatality outbreak in Medinya. Contaminated fufu and groundnut soup were the sources. Hand washing with soap was initiated and a make shift latrine constructed following our health education and recommendations.
Highlights
Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection transmitted through ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae
On 13th June 2011, there was a reported outbreak of acute watery diarrhoea at Medinya among people who eat at a mass traditional wedding ceremony in the Western Region of Ghana
A suspected cholera-case defined as a person with acute watery diarrhoea, with or without vomiting, who ate food prepared at the mass traditional wedding in Medinya on 10th June 2011
Summary
Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection transmitted through ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It is estimated that cholera affects 3-5 million people worldwide, and causes 100,000 to 130,000 deaths a year as of 2010 [1,2]. From September 2010 to 15th June, 2011, Ghana reported outbreaks of cholera in 6 regions. The Western Region of Ghana had not reported any case of cholera for the past 5 years [5,6,7]. On the 13th of June 2011, a number of people reported with acute profuse watery diarrhea at the sub-district hospital in Dixcove, Western Region of Ghana. They were diagnosed of having cholera and an outbreak was declared.
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