Wisconsin Division of Public Health Disease Surveillance Manual (EpiNet, February 2005)
I. IDENTIFICATION
A. CLINICAL DESCRIPTION: An acute bacterial disease of variable severity ranging from a mild diarrhea to profuse watery diarrhea, occasional vomiting, and if not treated, rapid dehydration.
B. REPORTING CRITERIA: Laboratory confirmation.
C. LABORATORY CRITERIA FOR CONFIRMATION:
- Isolation of toxigenic (e.g., cholera toxin-producing) Vibrio cholerae serogroup 01 or 0139 from stool or vomitis, OR
- Significant increase in vibriocidal or antitoxic antibodies in acute and early convalescent phase sera, OR
- Significant decrease in vibriocidal antibodies in early and late convalescent-phase sera among persons not recently vaccinated.
D. WISCONSIN CASE DEFINITION: A clinically compatible illness that is laboratory confirmed.
II. ACTIONS REQUIRED / PREVENTION MEASURES
A. WISCONSIN DISEASE SURVEILLANCE CATEGORY I: Report IMMEDIATELY BY TELEPHONE to the patient's local health officer upon identification of a case or suspected case. Complete and mail an Acute and Communicable Disease Case Report (DPH 4151) to the local health officer within 24 hours.
B. EPIDEMIOLOGY REPORTS REQUESTED:
- Acute and Communicable Diseases Case Report (DPH 4151).
- Cholera and Other Vibrio Illness Surveillance Report (CDC 52.79)
C. PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTIONS:
- Source investigation by LHD to include history of travel to and from endemic areas, dates, mode of transportation, and foods consumed.
- Surveillance of contacts who shared food and drink for at least five days after exposure.
- Educate public about proper hand washing after using the toilet or handling contaminated clothing or linens, before cooking, or associating with high-risk individuals.
- Assess patient’s activities for high-risk settings.
- Educate and advise high-risk patients and food handlers on enteric precautions.
- Determine if case is outbreak-related and notify your Regional Office or CDES.
III. CONTACTS FOR CONSULTATION
A. BCDP / COMMUNICABLE DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOGY SECTION: (608) 267-9009.
B. REGIONAL STAFF: See Epinet Introduction: “REGIONAL OFFICE CONTACTS”.
C. WSLH / BACTERIOLOGY: (608) 263-3421.
IV. RELATED REFERENCES
1. “Cholera” DPH Disease Fact Sheet Series: View a list of all current Communicable Disease Fact Sheets
2. Heymann DL, ed. CHOLERA AND OTHER VIBRIOSE. In: Control of Communicable Diseases Manual. 18 th ed. Washington , DC : American Public Health Association, 2004:107-117.
3. Pickering LK, ed. Vibrio Infections. In: Red Book: 2003 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases. 26 th ed. Elk Grove Village , IL : American Academy of Pediatrics, 2003:686-690.
V. DISEASE TRENDS
Since 1986 there have been no cases of cholera reported in Wisconsin .