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Haiti cholera outbreak spreads to Dominican Republic, Florida
CDC. MMWR. 2010;59;1637-1641.
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Cases of cholera have been confirmed in travelers to the Dominican Republic and Florida after the Haiti outbreak in October, according to new findings published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
As previously reported in November in Infectious Disease News, Jon K. Andrus, MD, deputy director of the Pan American Health Organization, said the cholera epidemic was likely to grow much larger than the 9,123 documented cases of hospitalizations. As of Dec. 17, 121,518 cases have been confirmed, resulting in 63,711 hospitalizations and 2,591 deaths.
Isolates from four cases in the Dominican Republic and five from Florida have all been confirmed as toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1, serotype Ogawa, biotype El Tor, and matched the Haitian outbreak strain, according to CDC officials.
Officials recommend for travelers who develop diarrhea within 5 days of exposure to cholera-affected areas to seek medical care. In addition, “physicians should inquire about recent travel when evaluating patients with diarrhea. When cholera is suspected, rehydration should be initiated immediately, a stool specimen should be collected for culture of V. cholerae, and public health authorities should be notified.”
In an accompanying editorial, CDC officials wrote that, “More cholera cases associated with the current outbreak in Haiti are expected. In preparation for an anticipated increase in holiday travel, public health authorities in countries receiving travelers from Haiti should consider the need to heighten surveillance for cholera and educate clinicians to be vigilant for cholera-like illness in patients who have travelled cholera-affected areas.”
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