Abstract

FUSTER CALLABA, Carlos Arturo  and  MARQUETTI FERNANDEZ, María del Carmen. Experiences of the vector control brigades during the cholera epidemics in Haiti. Rev Cubana Med Trop [online]. 2013, vol.65, n.1, pp.99-106. ISSN 0375-0760.

Introduction: cholera is one of the oldest infectious diseases causing huge epidemics and pandemics, mainly in territories where poor-quality water consumption, deficient environmental sanitation and permanent crowding prevail. Objective: to describe the experiences gained by the vector control workers during the cholera epidemics in Haiti. Methods: details were offered about the tasks of the vector control staff in houses, cholera treatment centers and units served by Cubans during the cholera epidemics from October 2010 to March 2011. Results: the activities included preparation of disinfectant solutions for the podal cleaning and the handwashing; the treatment of drinking water and of domestic use waters through several conventional formulations of chlorine and Aquatab, Polintest instachlor and Sany Tabs tablets. Other tasks comprised concurrent disinfection in clothes and feces from patients, terminal disinfection and disposal, and final disinfection of liquid and solid wastes, as well as support to active screening for the search of positive cases in remote communes and vector control actions mainly on Musca domestica. Conclusions: for the first time, the experiences of this health staffs in the control of a cholera epidemics is described in detail; their work, together with that of physicians, nurses and other health professionals, contributed to the general reduction of cholera in Haiti, to the protection of the Cuban cooperators and to the non-introduction of this disease in Cuba.

Keywords : cholera; vector control; Haiti.

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