Deciphering the origin of the 2012 cholera epidemic in Guinea by integrating epidemiological and molecular analyses.

ABSTRACT: Cholera is typically considered endemic in West Africa, especially in the Republic of Guinea. However, a three-year lull period was observed from 2009 to 2011, before a new epidemic struck the country in 2012, which was officially responsible for 7,350 suspected cases and 133 deaths. To determine whether cholera re-emerged from the aquatic environment or was rather imported due to human migration, a comprehensive epidemiological and molecular survey was conducted. A spatiotemporal analysis of the national case databases established Kaback Island, located off the southern coast of Guinea, as the initial focus of the epidemic in early February. According to the field investigations, the index case was found to be a fisherman who had recently arrived from a coastal district of neighboring Sie

SUBMITTER: Rebaudet S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4046952 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature