Could more targeted interventions help control cholera outbreaks?

Better targeting of cholera control measures to specific high-burden regions or around specific cases could play a role in shortening outbreaks and dramatically reduce the burden of disease, according to new research.

Cholera is widely underreported, with estimates of the actual global burden ranging up to 4 million cases and 143,000 deaths a year. Aside from catastrophic outbreaks, such as the current situation in Yemen, much of the burden is in sub-Saharan Africa, where frequent outbreaks cause social and economic disruption.