Cholera

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Nationally notifiable since 1974

1.0 National Notification

Only confirmed cases of disease should be notified.

2.0 Type of Surveillance

Routine case-by-case notification to the federal level

3.0 Case Classification

3.1 Confirmed case

Clinical evidence of illness with laboratory confi rmation of infection through isolation of cholera toxin producing Vibrio cholerae serotype O1 or O139 from vomitus or stool

3.2 Probable case

Clinical evidence of illness in a person who is epidemiologically linked to a confirmed case

4.0 Laboratory Comments

Further strain characterization, including antibiotic susceptibility testing, is indicated for epidemiologic, public health and control purposes.

5.0 Clinical Evidence

Cholera is characterized by acute watery diarrhea and/or vomiting. The severity of illness may vary.

6.0 ICD Code(s)

6.1 ICD-10 Code(s)

A00.0

6.2 ICD-9 Code(s)

001.0

7.0 Type of International Reporting

Mandatory reporting to the WHO if illness constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), as defined by the World Health Organization International Health Regulations (2005).

8.0 Comments

In order to have a high reporting specificity, the WHO limits the case definition of cholera to those aged ≥ 5 years.

Illnesses caused by strains of V. cholerae other than toxigenic V. cholerae O1 or O139 should not be reported as cases of cholera.

Probable case definitions are provided as guidelines to assist with case finding and public health management, and are not for national notification purposes.

9.0 References

Case definitions for diseases under national surveillance. CCDR 2000;26S3. Retrieved May 2008, from http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/ccdr-rmtc/00vol26/26s3/index.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. MMWR 1997. Case definitions for infectious conditions under public health surveillance. Retrieved May 29, 2008, from http://www.cdc.gov/ncphi/disss/nndss/casedef/cholera_current.htm

Communicable Diseases Network Australia. 2004. Interim surveillance case definitions for the Australian National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System. Version 1.1. p. 10. Retrieved on May 29, 2008, from http://www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/publishing.nsf/Content/cda_surveil-nndss-dislist.htm#casedefs

World Health Organization. Department of Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response (October 1999). WHO Recommended Surveillance Standards. 2^nd ed. WHO/CDS/CSR/ ISR/99.2. Retrieved on May 29, 2008, from www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/surveillance/whocdscsrisr992.pdf

Date of Last Revision/Review:

May 2008.