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Sokemawu Freeman AY, Ganizani A, Mwale AC, Manda IK, Chitete J, Phiri G, Stambuli B, Chimulambe E, Koslengar M, Kimambo NR, Bita A, Apolot RR, Mponda H, Mungwira RG, Chapotera G, Yur CT, Yatich NJ, Totah T, Mantchombe F, Chamla DD, Olu OO. Analyses of drinking water quality during a protracted cholera epidemic in Malawi - a cross-sectional study of key physicochemical and microbiological parameters. J Water Health 2024; 22:510-521. [PMID: 38557567 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2024.283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Anecdotal evidence and available literature indicated that contaminated water played a major role in spreading the prolonged cholera epidemic in Malawi from 2022 to 2023. This study assessed drinking water quality in 17 cholera-affected Malawi districts from February to April 2023. Six hundred and thirty-three records were analysed. The median counts/100 ml for thermotolerant coliform was 98 (interquartile range (IQR): 4-100) and that for Escherichia coli was 0 (IQR: 0-9). The drinking water in all (except one) districts was contaminated by thermotolerant coliform, while six districts had their drinking water sources contaminated by E. coli. The percentage of contaminated drinking water sources was significantly higher in shallow unprotected wells (80.0% for E. coli and 95.0% for thermotolerant coliform) and in households (55.8% for E. coli and 86.0% for thermotolerant coliform). Logistic regression showed that household water has three times more risk of being contaminated by E. coli and two and a half times more risk of being contaminated by thermotolerant coliform compared to other water sources. This study demonstrated widespread contamination of drinking water sources during a cholera epidemic in Malawi, which may be the plausible reason for the protracted nature of the epidemic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Gift Phiri
- Ministry of Water and Sanitation, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | | | | | | | | | - Alisa Bita
- World Health Organization Country Office, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | | | - Hamid Mponda
- World Health Organization Country Office, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | | | | | - Chol Thabo Yur
- World Health Organization Emergency Preparedness and Response Hub, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Terence Totah
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Freddie Mantchombe
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Dick Damas Chamla
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Olushayo Oluseun Olu
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo E-mail:
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Makongwana B, Siqithi S, Phiri G, Karaire V, Makrexeni M, Gaire K, Nazo Z, Hanise P. Common causes of bacterial meningitis at Mthatha Hospital Complex, Eastern Cape South Africa. Int J Infect Dis 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2014.03.1122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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