Reduction of Cholera in Bangladeshi Villages by Simple Filtration

TitleReduction of Cholera in Bangladeshi Villages by Simple Filtration
Publication TypeJournal Articles
Year of Publication2003
AuthorsColwell RR, Huq A, Islam SM, Aziz KMA, Yunus M, Khan HN, Mahmud A, Sack BR, Nair GB, Chakraborty J, Sack DA, Russek-Cohen E
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of SciencesPNAS
Volume100
Issue3
Pagination1051 - 1055
Date Published2003/02/04/
ISBN Number0027-8424, 1091-6490
Abstract

Based on results of ecological studies demonstrating that Vibrio cholerae, the etiological agent of epidemic cholera, is commensal to zooplankton, notably copepods, a simple filtration procedure was developed whereby zooplankton, most phytoplankton, and particulates >20 μm were removed from water before use. Effective deployment of this filtration procedure, from September 1999 through July 2002 in 65 villages of rural Bangladesh, of which the total population for the entire study comprised ≈133,000 individuals, yielded a 48% reduction in cholera (P < 0.005) compared with the control.

URLhttp://www.pnas.org/content/100/3/1051
DOI10.1073/pnas.0237386100