Cholera case registered in Bulgaria

An imported case of cholera has been registered in Bulgaria. The case is of a 23-year-old Indian national living in Bulgaria who was in New Delhi, India, between 13 August and 2 September.

The confirmed case was reported by Sofia’s Regional Health Inspectorate. The patient fell ill on September 3 due to acute diarrhoea without other symptoms. A laboratory test was performed, which was subsequently confirmed at the National Laboratory of Particularly Dangerous Bacterial Infections of the National Centre for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases.

The patient was isolated in a room with a private bathroom at the Hospital for Parasitic and Infectious Diseases "Prof. Ivan Kirov". He is in good general condition. A person with whom the patient is cohabiting, identified by the RHI as a close contact, has been placed under compulsory quarantine in the same hospital. So far, he has no symptoms, has a negative test result and has been given antibiotic prophylaxis.

In the course of the epidemiological investigation, no other contacts were identified. The patient has not visited public places, including restaurants, etc. The medical institution has issued a prescription for the observance of a strict anti-epidemic regime, increased disinfection, wearing of personal protective equipment by the staff in order to prevent the spread of the disease.

Cholera is an extremely contagious disease transmitted by ingestion of contaminated food or water. It is characterised by intoxication, small bowel lesions, gastrointestinal manifestations, dehydration, severe course and high mortality. Transmission to humans occurs through consumption of contaminated water, food and through contaminated hands and contaminated objects.

Until the beginning of the 19th century, cholera was prevalent mainly in India, with the River Ganges being the main source of infection. From the 1820s, the disease spread to other countries, causing pandemics with millions of victims. In Bulgaria, cholera has been a serious problem six times. The last epidemic in this country was recorded in the period 1914-1918. The last case of cholera in the country was recorded in 1921 and was again imported.

Thanks to the purification and chlorination of drinking water, the disease was later virtually eradicated in Europe. However, the number of cholera cases reported to the WHO has remained high over the last few years, mainly due to outbreaks in Africa and South America.