Background: Vibrio cholerae is one of the major causes of severe diarrheal disease in Bangladesh. It is estimated that there are about 450,000 cholera cases each year in Bangladesh. Cholera is prevalent in both urban and rural settings in the country. Policy decisions about how best a new public health tool can be incorporated into the system requires evidence. Investigators have recently carried out a feasibility study of oral cholera vaccine in urban Dhaka in Mirpur (Protocol #10061). However, whether a similar system can also be utilized in a rural area in Bangladesh needs to be studied. The hospital disease surveillance data from International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) reveals a substantial burden of cholera from Keraniganj upazila. Investigators propose a feasibility study of oral cholera vaccination by using the existing national immunization service delivery mechanism in Keraniganj. This study will help to provide evidence for the policy makers in introducing oral cholera vaccine in preventing cholera in high risk rural areas in Bangladesh. Hypothesis: That icddr,b in collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh will be able to implement an oral cholera vaccine program that; 1. reaches residents of rural union of Keraniganj 2. reduces the incidence of diarrhea due to Vibrio cholerae Objectives: 1. Carry out cholera vaccination in one rural union in Keraniganj. 2. Evaluate the impact of vaccination in reducing cholera in the study area Methods: Two unions in Keraniganj will be selected; around 30,000 individuals in one union will be vaccinated and impact evaluated by comparison with another similar union. After vaccination, passive cholera surveillance at the Upazila hospital will be conducted for two years on the patients from the two unions. Outcome measures/variables: Cholera vaccination programme will be assessed by the number of doses administered, drop-out rates between the two rounds, the proportion of vaccine wastage, and the vaccine coverage. Proportion of diarrheal hospitalizations that are due to V. cholerae O1 between the vaccinated and non vaccinated union will be calculated and compared to assess the impact of intervention.
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Proportion of diarrheal hospitalizations that are due to V. cholerae O1 between the vaccinated and non vaccinated union will be calculated and compared to assess the impact of intervention
Timeframe: within 2 years