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The Cholera Outbreak in Haiti: Where and How did it begin?

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Book cover Cholera Outbreaks

Part of the book series: Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology ((CT MICROBIOLOGY,volume 379))

Abstract

In October 2010, cholera appeared in Haiti for the first time in nearly a century. The Secretary-General of the United Nations formed an Independent Panel to “investigate and seek to determine the source of the 2010 cholera outbreak in Haiti”. To fulfill this mandate, the Panel conducted concurrent epidemiological, water and sanitation, and molecular analysis investigations. Our May 2011 findings indicated that the 2010 Haiti cholera outbreak was caused by bacteria introduced into Haiti as a result of human activity; more specifically by the contamination of the Meye Tributary System of the Artibonite River with a pathogenic strain of the current South Asian type Vibrio cholerae. Recommendations were presented to assist in preventing the future introduction and spread of cholera in Haiti and worldwide. In this chapter, we discuss both the results of the Independent Panel’s investigation and the context the report sat within; including background information, responses to the report’s release, additional research subsequent to our report, and the public health implications of the Haiti cholera epidemic.

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The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense, nor the U.S. Government.

Copyright Statement

Dr. CF Lanata is a part-time contractor of the US Navy. This work was prepared as part of his official duties. Title 17 U.S.C. §105 provides that ‘Copyright protection under this title is not available for any work of the United States Government.’ Title 17 U.S.C. §101 defines a U.S. Government work as a work prepared by a military service member or employee of the U.S. Government as part of that person’s official duties.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA, 02155, USA

    Daniele Lantagne

  2. Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Haryana, India

    G. Balakrish Nair

  3. Instituo de Investigación Nutricional, The US Navy Medical Research Unit 6, Lima, Peru

    Claudio F. Lanata

  4. International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, Korea

    Alejandro Cravioto

Authors
  1. Daniele Lantagne
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  2. G. Balakrish Nair
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  3. Claudio F. Lanata
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  4. Alejandro Cravioto
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniele Lantagne .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Gurgaon, Haryana, India

    G. Balakrish Nair

  2. National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan

    Yoshifumi Takeda

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Lantagne, D., Balakrish Nair, G., Lanata, C.F., Cravioto, A. (2013). The Cholera Outbreak in Haiti: Where and How did it begin?. In: Nair, G., Takeda, Y. (eds) Cholera Outbreaks. Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology, vol 379. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/82_2013_331

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