A recent study [1] of all cholera cases (67,738 cases and 3,666 deaths) in Katanga and Eastern Kasai, in the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2000 to 2005 shows that lakes were the sources of outbreaks. Cholera prevention programmes should be reinforced there, and safe water should be provided, especially during cholera outbreaks. So far, most previous DRC cholera control efforts have targeted city residents, the researchers say. Because the targets of the programmes are relatively small populations living close to lakes, these programmes could be more easily afforded than those implemented on a provincial or a national level. In this way, main cities, which are still under the threat of a new outbreak spreading from the lakes, would be protected.

[1] Bompangue D, Giraudoux P, Handschumacher P, Piarroux M, Sudre B, Ekwanzala M, et al. Lakes as source of cholera outbreaks, Democratic Republic of Congo. Emerg Infect Dis [serial on the Internet]. 2008 May. Available from http://www.cdc.gov/EID/content/14/5/798.htm

Contact: Renaud Piarroux, Department of Parasitology, Health and Rural Environmental Laboratory, email: renaud.piarroux@univ-fcomte.fr

Source:Science and Development Network, 16 Jun 2008

Tags: africa, water distribution, water-related diseases