Recurrent Cholera Outbreaks, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2008-2017

Brecht Ingelbeen; David Hendrickx; Berthe Miwanda; Marianne A. B. van der Sande; Mathias Mossoko; Hilde Vochten; Bram Riems; Jean-Paul Nyakio; Veerle Vanlerberghe; Octavie Lunguya; Jan Jacobs; Marleen Boelaert; Benoit Ilunga Kebela; Didier Bompangue; Jean-Jacques Muyembe

doi:10.3201/eid2505.181141

Recurrent Cholera Outbreaks, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2008-2017

Brecht Ingelbeen, David Hendrickx, Berthe Miwanda, Marianne A. B. van der Sande, Mathias Mossoko, Hilde Vochten, Bram Riems, Jean-Paul Nyakio, Veerle Vanlerberghe, Octavie Lunguya, Jan Jacobs, Marleen Boelaert, Benoit Ilunga Kebela, Didier Bompangue, Jean-Jacques Muyembe

Julius Center, dept. Global Public Health & Bioethics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

In 2017, the exacerbation of an ongoing countrywide cholera outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo resulted in >53,000 reported cases and 1,145 deaths. To guide control measures, we analyzed the characteristics of cholera epidemiology in DRC on the basis of surveillance and cholera treatment center data for 2008–2017. The 2017 nationwide outbreak resulted from 3 distinct mechanisms: considerable increases in the number of cases in cholera-endemic areas, so-called hot spots, around the Great Lakes in eastern DRC; recurrent outbreaks progressing downstream along the Congo River; and spread along Congo River branches to areas that had been cholera-free for more than a decade. Case-fatality rates were higher in nonendemic areas and in the early phases of the outbreaks, possibly reflecting low levels of immunity and less appropriate prevention and treatment. Targeted use of oral cholera vaccine, soon after initial cases are diagnosed, could contribute to lower case-fatality rates.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	856-864
Number of pages	9
Journal	Emerging Infectious Diseases
Volume	25
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2505.181141
Publication status	Published - May 2019

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Ingelbeen, B., Hendrickx, D., Miwanda, B., van der Sande, M. A. B., Mossoko, M., Vochten, H., Riems, B., Nyakio, J.-P., Vanlerberghe, V., Lunguya, O., Jacobs, J., Boelaert, M., Kebela, B. I., Bompangue, D., & Muyembe, J.-J. (2019). Recurrent Cholera Outbreaks, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2008-2017. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 25(5), 856-864. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2505.181141

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title = "Recurrent Cholera Outbreaks, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2008-2017",

abstract = "In 2017, the exacerbation of an ongoing countrywide cholera outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo resulted in >53,000 reported cases and 1,145 deaths. To guide control measures, we analyzed the characteristics of cholera epidemiology in DRC on the basis of surveillance and cholera treatment center data for 2008–2017. The 2017 nationwide outbreak resulted from 3 distinct mechanisms: considerable increases in the number of cases in cholera-endemic areas, so-called hot spots, around the Great Lakes in eastern DRC; recurrent outbreaks progressing downstream along the Congo River; and spread along Congo River branches to areas that had been cholera-free for more than a decade. Case-fatality rates were higher in nonendemic areas and in the early phases of the outbreaks, possibly reflecting low levels of immunity and less appropriate prevention and treatment. Targeted use of oral cholera vaccine, soon after initial cases are diagnosed, could contribute to lower case-fatality rates.",

author = "Brecht Ingelbeen and David Hendrickx and Berthe Miwanda and {van der Sande}, {Marianne A. B.} and Mathias Mossoko and Hilde Vochten and Bram Riems and Jean-Paul Nyakio and Veerle Vanlerberghe and Octavie Lunguya and Jan Jacobs and Marleen Boelaert and Kebela, {Benoit Ilunga} and Didier Bompangue and Jean-Jacques Muyembe",

year = "2019",

month = may,

doi = "10.3201/eid2505.181141",

language = "English",

volume = "25",

pages = "856--864",

journal = "Emerging Infectious Diseases",

issn = "1080-6040",

publisher = "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)",

number = "5",

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Ingelbeen, B, Hendrickx, D, Miwanda, B, van der Sande, MAB, Mossoko, M, Vochten, H, Riems, B, Nyakio, J-P, Vanlerberghe, V, Lunguya, O, Jacobs, J, Boelaert, M, Kebela, BI, Bompangue, D & Muyembe, J-J 2019, 'Recurrent Cholera Outbreaks, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2008-2017', Emerging Infectious Diseases, vol. 25, no. 5, pp. 856-864. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2505.181141

TY - JOUR

T1 - Recurrent Cholera Outbreaks, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2008-2017

AU - Ingelbeen, Brecht

AU - Hendrickx, David

AU - Miwanda, Berthe

AU - van der Sande, Marianne A. B.

AU - Mossoko, Mathias

AU - Vochten, Hilde

AU - Riems, Bram

AU - Nyakio, Jean-Paul

AU - Vanlerberghe, Veerle

AU - Lunguya, Octavie

AU - Jacobs, Jan

AU - Boelaert, Marleen

AU - Kebela, Benoit Ilunga

AU - Bompangue, Didier

AU - Muyembe, Jean-Jacques

PY - 2019/5

Y1 - 2019/5

N2 - In 2017, the exacerbation of an ongoing countrywide cholera outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo resulted in >53,000 reported cases and 1,145 deaths. To guide control measures, we analyzed the characteristics of cholera epidemiology in DRC on the basis of surveillance and cholera treatment center data for 2008–2017. The 2017 nationwide outbreak resulted from 3 distinct mechanisms: considerable increases in the number of cases in cholera-endemic areas, so-called hot spots, around the Great Lakes in eastern DRC; recurrent outbreaks progressing downstream along the Congo River; and spread along Congo River branches to areas that had been cholera-free for more than a decade. Case-fatality rates were higher in nonendemic areas and in the early phases of the outbreaks, possibly reflecting low levels of immunity and less appropriate prevention and treatment. Targeted use of oral cholera vaccine, soon after initial cases are diagnosed, could contribute to lower case-fatality rates.

AB - In 2017, the exacerbation of an ongoing countrywide cholera outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo resulted in >53,000 reported cases and 1,145 deaths. To guide control measures, we analyzed the characteristics of cholera epidemiology in DRC on the basis of surveillance and cholera treatment center data for 2008–2017. The 2017 nationwide outbreak resulted from 3 distinct mechanisms: considerable increases in the number of cases in cholera-endemic areas, so-called hot spots, around the Great Lakes in eastern DRC; recurrent outbreaks progressing downstream along the Congo River; and spread along Congo River branches to areas that had been cholera-free for more than a decade. Case-fatality rates were higher in nonendemic areas and in the early phases of the outbreaks, possibly reflecting low levels of immunity and less appropriate prevention and treatment. Targeted use of oral cholera vaccine, soon after initial cases are diagnosed, could contribute to lower case-fatality rates.

U2 - 10.3201/eid2505.181141

DO - 10.3201/eid2505.181141

M3 - Article

C2 - 31002075

SN - 1080-6040

VL - 25

SP - 856

EP - 864

JO - Emerging Infectious Diseases

JF - Emerging Infectious Diseases

IS - 5

ER -

Recurrent Cholera Outbreaks, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2008-2017

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