Published Date: 2011-08-23 16:17:02
Subject: PRO/EDR> Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011 (25): Haiti, DR
Archive Number: 20110823.2567
CHOLERA, DIARRHEA AND DYSENTERY UPDATE 2011 (25): HAITI, DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC
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In this update:
[1] Origin of Haiti/DR epidemic
[2] Dominican Republic
*****
[1] Origin of Haiti/DR epidemic
Date: Tue 23 Aug 2011
Source: James Wilson [edited]
<iceaxe5@gmail.com>
[The abstract from this American Society of Microbiology (ASM) journal
mBio confirms the relationship of the Nepalese peacekeepers and the
epidemic on Hispaniola - Mod.LL]
Hendriksen RS, Price LB, Schupp JM, et al: Population genetics of
Vibrio cholerae from Nepal in 2010: evidence on the origin of the
Haitian outbreak.
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mBio 2(4) July/August 2011 Volume 2 Issue 4 e00157-11,
doi:10.1128/mBio.00157-11.
http://mbio.asm.org/content/2/4/e00157-11.full.pdf+html
ABSTRACT
Cholera continues to be an important cause of human infections, and
outbreaks are often observed after natural disasters, such as the one
following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Once the cholera outbreak was
confirmed, rumors spread that the disease was brought to Haiti by a
battalion of Nepalese soldiers serving as United Nations peacekeepers.
This possible connection has never been confirmed.
We used whole-genome sequence typing (WGST), pulsed-field gel
electrophoresis (PFGE), and antimicrobial susceptibility testing to
characterize 24 recent _Vibrio cholerae_ isolates from Nepal and
evaluate the suggested epidemiological link with the Haitian outbreak.
The isolates were obtained from 30 Jul 2010 to 1 Nov 2010 from 5
different districts in Nepal. We compared the 24 genomes to 10
previously sequenced _V. cholerae_ isolates, including 3 from the
Haitian outbreak (began July 2010). Antimicrobial susceptibility and
PFGE patterns were consistent with an epidemiological link between the
isolates from Nepal and Haiti. WGST showed that all 24 _V. cholerae_
isolates from Nepal belonged to a single monophyletic group that also
contained isolates from Bangladesh and Haiti.
The Nepalese isolates were divided into 4 closely related clusters.
One cluster contained 3 Nepalese isolates and 3 Haitian isolates that
were almost identical, with only 1- or 2-bp differences. Results in
this study are consistent with Nepal as the origin of the Haitian
outbreak. This highlights how rapidly infectious diseases might be
transmitted globally through international travel and how public
health officials need advanced molecular tools along with standard
epidemiological analyses to quickly determine the sources of
outbreaks.
--
James Wilson
<iceaxe5@gmail.com>
*****
[2] Dominican Republic
Date: 20 Aug 2011
Source: Dominican Today [edited]
http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2011/8/20/40655/Cholera-death-toll-reaches-109-in-Dominican-Republic
The number of deaths caused by the cholera epidemic in the Dominican
Republic has reached 109, while there are 15 876 suspect cases,
according to figures revealed Friday [19 Aug 2011] by the health
authorities.
A statement by the Health Ministry reads that the intensity of the
outbreak has been decreasing since 6 weeks ago, but the region of Gran
Santo Domingo, which includes the capital city, still faces a serious
epidemic situation.
The preventive measures undertaken by the government include informing
the population, careful observation of diarrhea cases, providing
drinkable water and building new public toilets as part of efforts to
contain the outbreak, the statement added.
The latest Cholera outbreak appeared last November [2010] in the
country, a month after the 1st cases were reported in Haiti.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail from HealthMap alerts
<promed@promedmail.org>
[With the approach of Hurricane Irene, additional flooding can
contribute to further spread of cholera in both Haiti and the
Dominican Republic. - Mod.LL]
See Also
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011 (24): Americas20110804.2349
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011 (23): Haiti, DR
20110726.2253
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011 (22): Asia, Africa
20110711.2094
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011 (21): Haiti, DR
20110710.2086
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011 (20) 20110708.2061
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011 (19): Asia, Africa
20110704.2027
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011 (18): Haiti, DR
20110702.2016
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011 (17): Haiti, DR
20110624.1939
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011 (16): Asia, Africa
20110622.1910
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011 (15): Asia, Africa
20110617.1849
Cholera - USA: (NY): RFI 20110616.1840
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011: (14): Haiti, DR
20110606.1726
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011 (13): Ukraine (DT)
20110603.1697
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011: (12): Haiti, DR
20110524.1579
Cholera O75 - USA: (FL) raw oysters, warning 20110511.1443
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011 (11): Haiti, UN report
20110505.1392
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011 (10): Mexico (SI) alert
20110430.1334
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011 (09): Africa 20110419.1219
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011 (08): Americas, Asia
20110419.1216
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011 (07): Haiti, upswing in
cases 20110413.1163
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011 (06): Americas, Asia
20110404.1040
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011 (05): Africa 20110403.1033
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011 (04) 20110222.0582
Cholera - USA (03): (NY) ex Dominican Rep. banquet 20110208.0429
Cholera - Venezuela (03): ex Dominican Rep. banquet, lobster
20110131.0368
Cholera - USA (03): (NY) ex Dominican Rep. banquet 20110130.0364
Cholera - Venezuela (02): ex Dominican Rep. banquet, lobster
20110128.0335
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011 (03) 20110128.0333
Cholera - USA: (MA) ex Dominican Rep., banquet 20110127.0326
Cholera - Venezuela: ex Dominican Rep., banquet 20110127.0325
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011 (02) 20110118.0215
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2011 20110109.0101
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