Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40898167›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2025

Cholera outbreak associated with drinking contaminated lake shore water, Namayingo District, Uganda, July-August 2023.

John Rek, Daniel Orit, Susan Waako, Benon Kwesiga, Richard Migisha, Lillian Bulage, Alex Riolexus Ario

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

John RekUganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda. jrek@uniph.go.ug.
Daniel OritUganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Susan WaakoUganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Benon KwesigaUganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Richard MigishaUganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Lillian BulageUganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Alex Riolexus ArioUganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.

Funding

President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) GH001353-01
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCholera is endemic in Uganda with periodic outbreaks occurring annually. On July 24, 2023, Uganda's Ministry of Health confirmed a cholera outbreak in Sigulu Island, Namayingo District. We investigated to determine its magnitude, identify possible exposures, and recommend evidence-based control interventions.

methodsWe defined a suspected case as acute onset of watery diarrhea in a resident of Sigulu or Bukana Sub-counties in Namayingo District from July 1-August 15, 2023, and a confirmed case as a suspected case with positive Vibrio cholerae serotype 01 and 0139 stool culture. Cases were identified by active case search and records review at the health centers. We conducted descriptive epidemiology, and environmental assessment at the lakeshore water collection points, and generated hypotheses. In addition, we collected water samples for cholera testing from Jerricans used for domestic water storage and lakeshore water collection points. We conducted an unmatched individual case-control study to compare exposures among case patients and asymptomatic controls residing in Sigulu and Bukana sub-counties.

resultsWe identified 24 cases of which 4 were confirmed to have V.cholerae serotype 01 and 0139 ogawa. Fifteen (62%) cases were female and the median age of cases was 27 years (range:2-68 years). Nine (37%) had received the oral cholera vaccine (OCV) 2 to 3 years ago. The epidemic curve showed a point source outbreak after the contamination of a communal water collection point on July 8, 2023, by the primary case who had recently traveled back from a neighboring country with a cholera outbreak. Eighteen (75%) were residents of Secho Village in Sigulu sub-county. All case patients drank lake water. Compared to other water collection points, drinking water from water point A in Secho, Sigulu Sub-county increased the odds of getting cholera (aOR = 4.3, 95% CI: 1.3-15). Treatment of drinking water by any means (aOR = 0.085, 95% CI: 0.097-0.74) and receiving OCV (aOR = 0.16, 95% CI: 0.051-0.56) were protective. We observed residents directly drawing lakeshore water for laundry, bathing, and drinking.

conclusionThis cholera outbreak in an island community was associated with a traveler's introduction of Vibrio cholerae, followed by community consumption of untreated lakeshore water. Mass distribution of water treatment tablets, repeated OCV, and community mass sensitization about risks associated with drinking untreated lake water helped stop the outbreak.

Indexed as

CholeraDisease OutbreaksDrinking WaterLakesAdolescentAdultAgedCase-Control StudiesChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedUgandaVibrio choleraeDrinking WaterCholeraLake waterOutbreaksUganda

Identifiers

PMID40898167
PMCPMC12403955

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.