Research Snapshot: Reducing the Spread of Cholera

There are several interventions recommended to prevent interhousehold transmission of cholera when an outbreak occurs, at household and community level, including bucket chlorination, household spraying, and household disinfection kits (HDKs).

The Global Task Force for Cholera Control (GTFCC) WASH Working Group has called for more evidence on cholera response interventions to inform policy and practice. This study team undertook lab-based research at Tufts and field evaluations in Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Mozambique, and Nigeria. They generated evidence and practical recommendations to improve the effectiveness of both bucket chlorination and household spraying. However, no HDK intervention could be found to evaluate in the field, suggesting that field implementation practices may be falling behind global recommendations.

This snapshot contains key messages, findings, implications for humanitarian policymakers and practitioners and recommendations for further research.