El Bushra HE, Haroun AAA, Dauod Altaf M, Gardiwal H, Muhammad Raja A, Alkhidir MA. Early use of oral cholera vaccines as a prime control measure during outbreaks: Necessary but not sufficient.
Vaccine 2024;
42:3033-3038. [PMID:
38594122 PMCID:
PMC11056718 DOI:
10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.03.045]
[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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Despite being a preventable and treatable disease, cholera remains a public health problem in Sudan. The objective of the outbreak investigation was to identify associated risk factors that would help institute appropriate control measures.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
A case control study design was chosen to identify the risk factors for cholera in Gadarif State.
RESULTS
Multi-variate analysis of identified two risk factors and three preventive factors for cholera in Gadarif City.
RISK FACTORS
Buying foods or drinks from street vendors (OR = 71.36), 95 % CI: 16.58-307.14), living in an urban setting (Gadarif City) (OR = 5.38), 95 % CI: 2.10-13.81); and the preventive factors were: Washing hands with water after defecation but without soap (OR = 0.16), 95 % CI: 0.04-0.63) or with soap (OR = 0.01), 95 % CI: 0.00-0.03), washing hands before eating (OR = 0.15), 95 % CI: 0.05-0.51) and taking Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) (OR = 0.19, 95 % CI: 0.08-0.44). The effectiveness of OCV (VE) was (Unadjusted VE: 80 %, 95 % CI: 69 %-87 %) or (Adjusted VE = 81.0 %, 95 % CI: 56.0 %-92.0 %).
DISCUSSION
Cholera outbreaks, especially in the setting of a complex humanitarian crises, can spread rapidly, resulting in many deaths, and quickly become a public health crisis. Implementation of a community-wide vaccination campaign using OCV as early as possible during the outbreak while implementing other control measures to target hotspots and at-risk populations would expedite halting outbreaks of cholera and save lives.
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