Some epidemiological characteristics of cholera in Thua Thien-Hue province

Reviewing cholera epidemics in Thua Thien-Hue province yielded that people at all age groups had caught cholera, 36% of all these cholera cases were in less than 15 years old group. In 2003, there was a transform from type V.E. OGAWA to V.E. INABA. The C-degree dehydration has been increased and made 50% among cholera patients, statistically higher than the rates of the years 2003, 1992 and 1993. This bacterium was still sensitive to common antibiotics shown on antibiograms. However ampicilline has been at risk of drug resistance. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully choose antibiotics for treatment and chemo-prophylaxis for people.

Coverage and costs of mass immunization of an oral cholera vaccine in Vietnam.

The objective of this study was to describe a mass-immunization campaign of a locally-produced oral, killed whole-cell cholera vaccine in Hue city, Vietnam. Mass immunization with a 2-dose regimen of the vaccine was conducted in 13 communes in early 1998. The total, age- and sex-specific vaccine coverage was calculated using data from the vaccination records and the government census. The number of vaccine doses procured, administered, wasted, and left over, and the human and other resources required to prepare and conduct the vaccination campaign were systematically recorded. Government expenditure for planning, procurement, and delivery of the vaccine were documented. In total, 118,555 (79%) of the 49,557 targeted population were fully vaccinated during the mass-vaccination campaign. The total expenditure for the project was US dollar 105,447, resulting in a cost per fully-vaccinated person of US dollar 0.89. Mass immunization with this locally-produced oral, killed cholera vaccine was found to be feasible and affordable with attainment of high vaccination coverage.