Cholera Outbreak In Iraq

Background: In Aug, 2017, Iraq as one of the Eastern Mediterranean Region countries experienced cholera outbreak. Iraq is a cholera endemic country with epidemics every 3-4 years. Poor services due to the wars and conflicts, the influx of internally displaced people reinforce many outbreaks in the last 10 years.

Aim of the study: To assess the Cholera Outbreak in Iraq, 2017

Method: We defined a case of Cholera as a patient with diarrhea that had a positive stool sample for vibrio cholera. Epidemiological investigations were carried for each case and their contacts was examined also the type of drinking water was determined.

Results: The total suspected cholera cases were 505. Most of the cases (98%) were inaba with a peak in W47 giving a case fatality rate of 0.6%. Generally, the diarrheal cases were in the middle and south of Iraq and the proportion of cholera cases was higher in those who use river, vehicle and other sources of water while most of cases occurred in autumn.

Conclusions:  Provision  of  adequate and  safe  water  supply  besides  other  control  measures  should  be  in place to prevent further outbreaks. Epidemiological and laboratory evidence suggested that the water was the source of this outbreak.

Keywords: Cholera, Iraq 2017, epidemics, water, endemic countries