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Cause:
Bacterial toxin from Vibrio cholerae serogroup O1 or
O139. Other V. cholerae do not produce toxin and
cause milder illness notifiable as Vibriosis.
Illness and treatment:
Illness ranges
from mild symptoms to severe sudden profuse watery diarrhea
leading to life-threatening dehydration. Treatment is fluid
replacement and antibiotics.
Sources:
The bacteria are carried in
the human intestine and spread mainly through fecally
contaminated food or water. The only environmental reservoir
in the United States is the Gulf of Mexico where raw seafood
may be contaminated.
Additional risks:
Unsafe drinking water,
poor hygiene, poor sanitation and crowded living conditions
can cause epidemics, particularly in urban areas of
developing countries and in refugee situations in Asia,
Africa and Latin America with poor sanitation. Persons with
reduced stomach acid are at increased risk.
Prevention:
If traveling to risk areas,
consult with a travel clinic or the CDC Travelers’ Health
website for recommendations about vaccination and other
measures.
Recent Washington trends:
A case was
reported in 2002 following travel to the Philippines.
2008:
No cases were reported.
Purpose of Reporting and
Surveillance
- To identify persons infected with Vibrio cholerae
and to prevent transmission from such individuals.
- To identify sources of transmission (e.g., contaminated
water or a contaminated lot of shellfish) and to prevent
further transmission from such sources.
Legal Reporting Requirements
-
Health care
providers: immediately notifiable to local health
jurisdiction.
-
Hospitals:
immediately notifiable to local health jurisdiction.
-
Laboratories:
immediately notifiable to local health
jurisdiction, specimen submission required.
-
Local health
jurisdictions: immediately notifiable to the
Washington State Department of Health (DOH) Communicable
Disease Epidemiology Section (CDES): 1-877-539-4344.
Last
update
November 2009 |
