Severe dehydration among cholera patients in Yemen: A cohort profile

Abstract

Introduction Cholera, an acute diarrheal illness caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with Vibrio cholerae, is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality globally. The occurrence of outbreaks of cholera are difficult to prevent in low and middle-income countries, especially those under armed conflicts. Methods This study aimed to describe the characteristics of a cohort of inpatients with cholera in two main hospitals in Taiz and Sana'a, Yemen, between 3rd February 2017 and 8th December 2017. Patient data were entered into an excel database and analyzed using STATA 16.1. Descriptive summaries of patient's data were presented as frequencies and percentages. Patients' demographic and clinical characteristics were compared using the Chi-square test. Results Preliminary findings from 172 hospitalizations for cholera during the study period include 163 that were severely dehydrated (94.8%). Age, education, hand hygiene, sanitation, water source, stool content and malnutrition were significantly associated with severe dehydration. Conclusions This data contributes to a greater understanding of the associated risk factors for the occurrence of the infectious disease in the study region. Future study will analyze the risks for severe dehydration and diarrhea, and the associated healthcare costs.