Cholera epidemiology and demographics
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editors-In-Chief: Priyamvada Singh, MBBS [2]
Overview
In 2015, 172,454 cases and 1,304 deaths of cholera were reported to WHO worldwide. Outbreaks continued to affect several countries. Overall, 41% of cases were reported from Africa, 37% from Asia and 21% from the Americas.[1] In the early 1980s, death rates are believed to have been greater than 3 million a year. It is difficult to calculate exact numbers of cases, as many go unreported due to concerns that an outbreak may have a negative impact on the tourism of a country.[2] Cholera remains both epidemic and endemic in many areas of the world. Although much is known about the mechanisms behind the spread of cholera, this has not led to a full understanding of what makes cholera outbreaks happen some places and not others. Lack of treatment of human feces and lack of treatment of drinking water greatly facilitate its spread, but bodies of water can serve as a reservoir, and seafood shipped long distances can spread the disease. Cholera was not known in the Americas for most of the 20th century, but it reappeared towards the end of that century and seems likely to persist.[3]
Epidemiology and Demographics
- In 2015, 172,454 cases and 1,304 deaths of cholera were reported to WHO worldwide. Outbreaks continued to affect several countries.
- Overall, 41% of cases were reported from Africa, 37% from Asia and 21% from the Americas.[1]
- Worldwide, cholera affects an estimated 1.4 to 4.3 million people, and causes 28,000 to 142,000 deaths a year as of 2012[4][5]
Origin and Spread
Cholera was originally endemic to the Indian subcontinent, with the Ganges River likely serving as a contamination reservoir. It spread by trade routes (land and sea) to Russia, then to Western Europe, and from Europe to North America. It is now no longer considered an issue in Europe and North America, due to filtering and chlorination of the water supply.
Gender
- Cholea occurs equally in males and females.
Age
- In nonendemic areas,cholara occurs equal in all age groups.
- In epidemic areas, children older than the age of 2 yr are most commonly infected which cholera. (illness is uncommon before the age of 2 yr, likely because of passive immunity)
Cholera in the United States
- In the U.S., the occurrence of cholera is very low (0-5 cases per year) and is usually due to ingestion of contaminated food or international travel. There has been a modest increase in imported cases since 1991 related to travel and ongoing epidemics.[6]
False Report of Cholera
A persistent myth states that 90,000 people died in Chicago of cholera and typhoid fever in 1885. This story has no factual basis. In 1885 there was a torrential rainstorm that flushed the Chicago river and its attendant pollutants into Lake Michigan far enough that the city's water supply was contaminated. Fortunately, cholera was not present in the city and this is not known to have caused any deaths. It did, however, cause the city to become more serious about their sewage treatment.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 World Health Organization. Global Health Observatory (GHO) data. http://www.who.int/gho/epidemic_diseases/cholera/en/ Accessed on October 5th, 2016
- ↑ Sack DA, Sack RB, Chaignat CL (2006). "Getting serious about cholera". N. Engl. J. Med. 355 (7): 649–51. doi:10.1056/NEJMp068144. PMID 16914700. Unknown parameter
|month=ignored (help) - ↑ Blake, PA (1993). "Epidemiology of cholera in the Americas". Gastroenterology clinics of North America. 22 (3): 639–60. PMID 7691740.
- ↑ World Health Organization. Cholera. (2016) http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs107/en/ Accessed on October 5th,2016
- ↑ Ali M, Lopez AL, You YA, et al. The global burden of cholera. Bulletin World Health Organization 2012; 90: 209–18A.
- ↑ Centers for Disease Control and prevention. Sources of Infection & Risk Factors. http://www.cdc.gov/cholera/infection-sources.html Accessed on October 5th, 2016