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Abstract

Background: Cholera is an acute infectious illness with profuse watery diarrhoea caused by toxigenic Vibrio cholerae serogroup O1 or O139. An estimated 1.4–4.3 million cases and 28000-142000 deaths occur yearly. In 2014, the Upper East Region (UER) of Ghana recorded 289 cholera cases with case-fatality of 3.1%.

On June 28, 2015, Bongo-District Hospital prompted the Bongo-District Health Directorate of a cholera outbreak at Vea-Gunga, in the Bongo District (BD), UER. We investigated to verify the diagnosis, determine the magnitude, identify etiological agent, source of infection and recommend control measures.

Methods: We perform a descriptive study. A suspected cholera case-patient was a person having acute watery diarrhoea with or without vomiting at Vea-Gunga from June1to July 20, 2015. Data was obtained by record review, interview with stakeholders and active case-finding from health facilities and communities. Stool from case-patients were taken for laboratory diagnosis and the environment was assessed. Data was analysed by person, place and time with Epi-info-version-3.5.1.

Results: Of 933 community members, 13 were affected and 69.2% (9/13) were females. The overall attack rate was 1.4% (13/933) and case-fatality 15.4% (2/13). The median and intra-quartile-range age of case-patients was 28.5 (1-50) years old. Sex-specific attack rates were 0.9% (4/447) and 1.6% (9/486) for males and females respectively. Almost all 85% (11/13) of affected cases-patients were close family members of the primary case, living on the same compound. Vibrio cholerae serotype ogawa was isolated from stool samples. We observed inadequate and unsafe water supply coupled with pollution of Vea-Dam.