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| Sometimes they come back. Who brought cholera to Russian cities | |||||
| 2025-04-27 | |||||
| Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Daniil Moskovsky [REGNUM] Two cases of cholera found in travellers returning from India are a reminder of the dangers of infections thought to have been eradicated.
After the first patient was discovered, specialists quickly identified all the people in 33 regions of Russia with whom he had been in contact, which allowed them to quickly find the second infected person. He is currently in a medical facility without any visible symptoms. Epidemiologist Elizaveta Dubel, in a conversation with the Regnum news agency, notes: "Cholera cases are periodically imported into Russia. Therefore, all our medical organizations must be ready to receive such patients. Timely detection allows us to minimize the risks of infection spreading." MEDICAL HISTORY Cholera is an acute intestinal infection. Since the early 19th century, there have been seven pandemics worldwide, claiming millions of lives. The introduction of sanitary standards and access to clean water have reduced the incidence of the disease in developed countries. "Cholera is a severe diarrheal disease that, if left untreated, can be fatal in a matter of hours. Rapid treatment is of critical importance," infectious disease specialist Lilit Arakelyan warns in a conversation with Regnum News Agency. Contrary to popular belief, cholera has not been completely eradicated. “In April 2025, the WHO reported at least 810,000 cases and 5,900 deaths worldwide in 2024, ” says Elizaveta Dubel. “For many countries, cholera remains an endemic infectious disease.” Arakelyan emphasizes that cholera epidemic outbreaks are registered in African countries (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Cameroon, Mozambique, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia, Benin, Malawi), South and Southeast Asia (India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines), and America (Haiti, Dominican Republic). In India, where the infected tourists returned from, cholera is a constant presence, especially in rural areas and urban slums with limited access to clean water and proper sanitation. Periodic outbreaks are reported in different states of the country, especially during the monsoon season.
And he draws attention to the antibiotic resistance that has become widespread in recent times: "People are dying now because it is not always possible to select antibacterial therapy. Uncontrolled use of antibiotics for every acute respiratory viral infection leads to the fact that when we need antibacterial therapy, for example, for cholera, antibiotics may not work."
The return of “forgotten” infections is due to several reasons. Globalization and tourism allow people to travel between countries in hours, creating conditions for the spread of infections. Uncontrolled urbanization increases population density, facilitating the transmission of pathogens. And advances in medicine lead to a decrease in the vigilance of the population and doctors. "The spread of infection is facilitated by unfavorable social and living conditions, low literacy levels of the population. And any man-made or natural disaster increases the intensity of the epidemic process," adds Elizaveta Dubel. In order for Russia to be fully prepared, Rospotrebnadzor regularly conducts tactical and special exercises in various regions of the country. In the last days of April alone, they took place at the airports of Ulyanovsk, Syktyvkar, Irkutsk and other cities. According to their typical scenario, a passenger with cholera symptoms is found on board an arriving plane, after which all necessary services are activated. Such exercises allow for the development of algorithms for interaction between services, which is especially important in the context of large-scale migration flows. "Our country also has a "sanitary shield" system to prevent the import of infectious diseases. Epidemiologists constantly monitor the situation abroad, strengthening anti-epidemic measures if necessary," says Dubel. HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF Prevention of cholera while traveling comes down to following simple rules. "The basis is vaccination. You should also avoid countries and regions with regular outbreaks, eat only thermally processed or well-washed food, drink only clean water from reliable sources, preferably bottled, and wash your hands regularly," advises Lilit Arakelyan. As for vaccination, the expert said there are several WHO prequalified cholera vaccines. All vaccines are two-dose to ensure full protection. In turn, Elizaveta Dubel says that there is no need to be overly afraid of infection with known infections: "It is absolutely impossible to predict the development of epidemics. No one predicted the situation with COVID-19 at all. Therefore, it is worth fearing not those infections that are well studied, but new ones, against which humanity has no protection." The detection of cholera cases in Russia is not a reason to panic, but a reminder that even in the 21st century, humanity is not completely protected from the “diseases of the past.” The return of infections is a natural result of globalization, climate change, and uneven development of healthcare in different countries. The cases in tourists returning from India demonstrated both the effectiveness of Russia's epidemiological surveillance system and the importance of following preventive measures when travelling to endemic regions. As long as there are places in the world with insufficient health care and sanitation, the threat of the return of “forgotten” diseases will remain. Therefore, timely prevention and vigilance remain key factors in the fight against them.
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| Posted by:badanov |