Epidemiologic Features of Cholera Epidemic ‎In Al Hilla City-Babylon Province-Iraq 2015‎

Abstract

Background: Cholera is a diarrheal disease, if untreated, leads to high morbidity and mortality. It has economic and social impact, several epidemics occurred in Iraq during the last years.

Objective:  To describe the cholera epidemic  in  a person place,and time epidemiologic   model

Methodology:  This is a descriptive  cross sectional study (describe the occurrence of disease  in person , place ,and time   descriptive epidemiologic approach) . Data were collected using records of patients admitted to merjan  and pediatric teaching  hospitals in Hilla city who were diagnosed and confirmed by stool culture(according to the central public health laboratory results) during the period of the last epidemic (from the first of August through November 2015). The duration of this study started from the beginning of February to the end of May 2016. A  sample of150 confirmed cholera cases  were selected in a systematic random sample technique ,the missed data of these cases  were completed by phone after getting the verbal consents of patients or their  families . 

Results: This study revealed that the peak frequency incidental cholera cases was on September, and most of cholera cases occured in Al-Tajea  district.  The most affected age group was (5-20), no significant difference  was reported according to gender. p>0.05 most of the cases were illiterate , lived in overcrowded houses , The disease is more common in internally displaced persons and those who drink water from wells and rivers.              

Conclusion:  Cholera cases were at highest incidental rate in September and  in Al-Tajea  district, the most  affected age group was(5-20years) , the disease was more common among Illiterate people, living in overcrowded houses . Internally displace and those who use river and well water