Cholera in Guinea: The Implication for Safe Water Sources and Sanitations

Abstract

Objectives: To lay stress upon the importance of adequate water and sanitation in the prevention of cholera in Guinea. Methods: The data on deaths and cases of cholera in Guinea from 2000 to 2011 were downloaded from the WHO Official website. The data on deaths and cases of cholera outbreak which occurred in Guinea from 02 February to 15 October 2012 were collected from the Guinean Ministry of Public Health. The cholera index case is confirmed by a laboratory test. Cholera cases were defined as individuals over one year old who had had watery stools with or without vomiting. Cholera incidence and case fatality rates between different areas of cholera occurrence in the country over time were computed. Results: Over the overall 12-year period (2000-2012), the case fatality rate showed a somewhat sign of slight rising trend when the incidence rates increased rapidly. During the seven consecutive years of cholera outbreaks in Guinea, between 2003 and 2009, the most affected areas were Conakry, Dubreka, Coyah, Boffa, Forécariah, Guékédou, Dalaba and Télimélé. In 2012, Cholera outbreak resulted in an incidence rate of 23.23 per 10,000 population and a case fatality ratio (CFR) of approximately 1.8%. Cases and deaths were reported in 12 prefectures out of 34: Conakry, Coyah, Forecariah, Fria, Boffa, Dubréka, Boké, Mamou, Kindia, Kankan, Kerouané and Dabola. Conclusion: Cholera is an important health problem in Guinea. Any earnest attempts to improve water and sanitation alongside with promotion of good hygienic practices will likely ward off the threat of cholera in the country.

Share and Cite:

Mamady, K. and Mafoule, S. (2014) Cholera in Guinea: The Implication for Safe Water Sources and Sanitations. Open Journal of Preventive Medicine, 4, 535-544. doi: 10.4236/ojpm.2014.47064.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1] Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia Contributors: Cholera. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholera
[2] Mouriño-Pérez, R.R. (1998) Oceanography and the Seventh Cholera Pandemic. Epidemiology, 9, 55-357.
[3] WHO (2009) Weekly Epidemiological Record, 84, 309-324.
[4] WHO (2010) Weekly Epidemiological Record, 85, 293-308.
[5] Barua, D. (1972) The Global Epidemiology of Cholera in Recent Years. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 65, 423-428.
[6] Cvjetanovic, B. and Barua, D. (1972) The Seventh Pandemic of Cholera. Nature, 239, 137-138.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/239137a0
[7] Goodgame, R.W. and Greenough, W.B. (1975) Cholera in Africa: A Message for the West. Annals of Internal Medicine, 82, 101-106.
http://dx.doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-82-1-101
[8] Boiro, M.Y., Lama, N., Barry, M., Diallo, R. and Morillon, M. (1999) The Epidemic of Cholera in Guinea: 1994-1995.
Tropical Medcine, 59, 303-306.
[9] Bertrand, S. and Didier, B. (2009) Epidemiology and Evaluation of Early Warning System of Cholera in Guinea. Mission Report, UNICEF.
[10] WHO (2001) Weekly Epidemiological Record, 76, 233-240.
[11] WHO (2002) Weekly Epidemiological Record, 77, 257-268.
[12] WHO (2003) Weekly Epidemiological Record, 78, 269-276.
[13] WHO (2004) Weekly Epidemiological Record, 79, 281-288.
[14] WHO (2005) Weekly Epidemiological Record, 80, 261-268.
[15] WHO 2006) Weekly Epidemiological Record, 81, 297-308.
[16] WHO (2007) Weekly Epidemiological Record, 82, 273-284.
[17] WHO (2008) Weekly Epidemiological Record, 83, 269-284.
[18] WHO (2012) Weekly Epidemiological Record, 87, 289-304.
[19] Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) Doctor without Boarders (2012) Use of Oral Cholera Vaccine in Response to an Epidemic in Guinea. Immunization Coverage Surveys. Doctor without Boarders, Conakry.
[20] Clarke, G.R.G. and Menard, C. (1999) A Transitory Regime Water Supply in Conakry, Guinea, World Bank Policy Research Working Paper No. 2362, p. 11.
[21] Deen, J.L., von Seidlein, L., Sur, D., Agtini, M., Lucas, M.E.S., Lopez, A.L., et al. (2008) The High Burden of Cholera in Children: Comparison of Incidence from Endemic Areas in Asia and Africa. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2, e173.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0000173
[22] Griffith, D.C., Kelly-Hope, L.A. and Miller, M.A. (2006) Review of Reported Cholera Outbreaks Worldwide, 1995-2005. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 75, 973-977.
[23] Koelle, K. and Pascual, M. (2004) Disentangling Extrinsic from Intrinsic Factors in Disease Dynamics: A Nonlinear Time Series Approach with an Application to Cholera. The American Naturalist, 163, 901-913.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/420798
[24] Koelle, K., Rodó, X., Pascual, M., Yunus, M. and Mostafa, G. (2005) Refractory Periods to Climate Forcing in Cholera Dynamics. Nature, 436, 696-700.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature03820
[25] Ciglenecki, I., Sakoba, K., Luquero, F.J., Heile, M., Itama, C., Mengel, M., et al. (2013) Feasibility of Mass Vaccination Campaign with Oral Cholera Vaccines in Response to an Outbreak in Guinea. PLoS Medicine, 10, e1001512.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001512
[26] Africa Region Human Development (2006) Guinea: A Country Status Report on Health and Poverty. Working Paper Series No. 45.
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTAFRREGTOPEDUCATION/Resources/444659-
1212165766431/H_CSR_Guinea.pdf
[27] IRIN News (2012) Guinea-Sierra Leone: Cholera—Rising with the Downpours. IRIN News.
http://article.wn.com/view/2012/08/31/GUINEASIERRA_LEONE_Cholera_rising_with_the_downpours_q/
[28] IRIN News (201) GUINEA: New Cholera Strain Poses Prevention Challenges. IRIN News.
http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97068/GUINEA-New-cholera-strain-poses-prevention-challenges
[29] Cash, R.A. and Narasimhan, V. (2000) Impediments to Global Surveillance of Infectious Diseases: Consequences of Open Reporting in a Global Economy. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 78, 1358-1367.
[30] Kirigia, J.M., Sambo, L.G., Yokouide, A., Soumbey-Alley, E., Muthuri, L.K., et al. (2009) Economic Burden of Cholera in the WHO African Region. BMC International Health and Human Rights, 9, 1-14.
[31] National Coordination Unit for EPI/PHC/ME Immunization Section, Ministry of Public Health (2005) Financial Sustainability Plan of the Expanded Program on Immunization 2005-2013. The Ministry of Public Health of Guinea, Conakry.
[32] Department of National Health Information, Ministry of Public Health of Guinea (2002) National Health Development Plan 2003-2012. The Ministry of Public Health of Guinea, Conakry.
[33] Department of National Health Information, Ministry of Public Health of Guinea (2009) Guinean Annual Health Statistics Report 2008. The Ministry of Public Health of Guinea, Conakry.
[34] Bally, E. (2012) At a Glance: Guinea. Promoting Hygiene and Water Treatment to Prevent Deadly Diseases in Guinea. UNICEF News.
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/guinea_53091.html
[35] The Telegraph (2012) Sierra Leone Battles Worst Cholera Outbreak in 15 Years. The Telegraph News.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/sierraleone/
9507802/Sierra-Leone-battles-worst-cholera-outbreak-in-15-years.html
[36] NaTHNaC (2012) Cholera Outbreak in Sierra Leone. NaTHNaC News.
http://www.nathnac.org/pro/clinical_updates/cholera_sierra_leone_220812.htm
[37] Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2003) Cholera Epidemic after Increased Civil Conflict: Monrovia, Liberia. Weekly Report, 52, 1093-1095.
[38] The Oxonian Globalist (2012) Instability in Mali. Futurechallenges News.
http://futurechallenges.org/local/instability-in-mali/
[39] Sack, D.A., Sack, R.B., Nair, G.B. and Siddique, A.K. (2004) Cholera. The Lancet, 365, 1.
[40] IRIN News (2012) GUINEA: Conakry Residents Demand Cholera Vaccine. IRIN News.
http://www.irinnews.org/printreport.aspx?reportid=96301
[41] Guardian News (2012) West Africa Desperate for Cleaner Toilets to Save Slums from Cholera. Guardian News.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2012/aug/20/west-africa-toilets-slums-cholera
[42] IRIN News (2012) GUINEA: Evading the Cholera Epidemic. IRIN News.
http://www.irinnews.org/Report/94449/GUINEA-Evading-the-cholera-epidemic
[43] Durany, J. and L’huissier, A.M. (1994) The Urban Environment in Conakry: Behavior, Attitudes and Practices of Households. UNDP-World Bank Water and Sanitation Project, Abidjan.
[44] Alam, M., Islam, A., Bhuiyan, N.A., Rahim, N., Hossain, A., Khan, G.Y., et al. (2011) Clonal Transmission, Dual Peak, and Off-Season Cholera in Bangladesh. Infection Ecology and Epidemiology, 1, 7273.
http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/iee.v1i0.7273
[45] WHO, Cholera Country Profile, Guinea (2007) Global Task Force on Cholera Control.
[46] World Bank (1990) Republic of Guinea: Country Economic Memorandum. Volume II: Sectoral Analysis. World Bank, Washington DC.
[47] Mayala, B.K., Mboera, L.E.G. and Gwacha, F. (2003) Mapping of Cholera Risks Using Geographical Information System in Llala City, Tanzania. Tanzania Health Research Bulletin, 5, 8-12.
[48] Libcom News (2007) Guinea: Police Clash with General Strike. Libcom News.
http://libcom.org/news/guinea-police-clash-with-general-strike-17012007
[49] Reuters (2007) Guinea General Strike Resumes. Reuters.
http://www.talktalk.co.uk/news/world/reuters/2007/02/12/guinea-general-strike-resumes.html
[50] Reuters (2007) More than 20 killed in Guinea Strike Violence. Reuters.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL2279240020070122
[51] WHO. Department of Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response. WHO Report on Global Surveillance of Epidemic-prone Infectious Disease. WHO/CDS/CSR/ISR/2000.1
[52] Reiff, F.M., Roses, M., Venczel, L., Quick, R. and Witt, V.M. (1996) Low Cost Safe Water for the World: A Practical Interim Solution. Journal of Public Health Policy, 17, 389-408.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3343099

Copyright © 2023 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.

Creative Commons License

This work and the related PDF file are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.