Ethiopian Field Epidemiology Training Program (EFETP) Compiled Body of Works in Field Epidemiology
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2025-09-20
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: On March 6, 2024, a patient with acute watery diarrhea and vomiting arrived at Dubti General Hospital in Afar Region, Ethiopia, suspecting cholera infection. Stool samples were collected and confirmed with Vibrio cholerae positive. As of April 15, 2024, 410 cholera cases in 2 zones were reported. We described the epidemiology, identified the determinants, and responded to the outbreak accordingly.
Method: We conducted a descriptive study followed by an unmatched case-control study, with a 1:2 ratio, conducted from March to April 2024. 410 cases from the line list were used for the descriptive study, and 45 cases and 90 controls for the unmatched case-control study. A structured interviewer administered questionnaire was used for the data collection, with a Simple random sampling method for the sampling. ArcGIS was used to show disease distribution in a Map, and Data were entered into Epi Info software and analyzed using SPSS version 20 software. Logistic regression was used to compute the crude and adjusted odds ratios for the factors associated with cholera infection.
Results: The study identified 410 cases (0.93/1000 Attack Rate) with no deaths registered. Of the total cases, 76.6% were severely dehydrated, 87.3% cases used river water sources, and 76% of the cases were in zone 1, The median age was 23 years (interquartile range:18-30 years) with a male-to-female ratio of 4:1, and 64.6% cases were daily laborers. knowledge of cholera infection [AOR=6.06, 95% CI=1.10-33.33], unimproved water sources [AOR=3.28, 95% CI=1.20-8.95], without latrine access [AOR=4.56, 95% CI=1.23-17.00], Contact with suspected cases [AOR=3.28, 95% CI=1.24-8.69], and traveled to active outbreak area [AOR=2.79, 95% CI=1.08-7.22] were the significant determinants of the outbreak.
Conclusions: The study highlights that knowledge, unimproved water, and a lack of latrines were the causes of cholera transmission. We recommended that Strengthening WASH services and giving health education are essential to mitigating the outbreak.
Description
Keywords
Cholera, Outbreak, Case-Control, Afar, Ethiopia