Investigation of the Cholera Family Cluster in Taiwan, 2016

Investigation of the Cholera Family Cluster in Taiwan, 2016

Cholera is an acute intestinal infectious disease caused through oral-fecal route. Clinical symptoms are painless diarrhea with rice-stool, vomiting and rapid dehydration. If not treated in time, the fatality can be more than 50%. We described a family cluster caused by Vibrio cholerae O1 serogroup (serotype O1-Ogawa/ Toxigenic). We investigated the source of suspected food and water specimens, shop staff, and food sources of the retailers; the test results were all negative. The cause of the cluster might be food-sharing, contacts of contaminated bathroom equipment, cross contamination from cutting boards for handling raw and cooked food. We suggested that public health interventions should start in the early phase. To prevent similar incidents, we recommended that the competent authorities should implement a three-tier quality control system in the food industry that will help tracing the origin of infections.