Download File - Michelle Bettis (Gingerich)

DQ1. Was the 2010 cholera outbreak that occurred in Haiti a common source outbreak or a
propagated outbreak? Explain the difference. What was the main reservoir for the Vibrio
cholerae organism? Describe the conditions that provided the reservoir.
The 2010 cholera outbreak that occurred in Haiti is considered a common source
outbreak. A common source outbreak according to Harkness & Demarco (2016), “A common
source outbreak is one that has the same origin (i.e., same person or vehicle as the reservoir or
means of transmission)” (p 259). Cholera is caused from contaminated drinking water, and food
that is contaminated with feces. A propagated outbreak is the transmission of infection from
person to person over a long period of time. The main reservoir for the Vibrio cholera organism
was caused by flooding after the earthquake in Haiti hit. This allowed water systems to be
contaminated by feces. According to the CDC (2011), “The 2010 cholera outbreak in Haiti
following a severe earthquake and flooding underscored the vulnerability of populations due to
poor sanitation, a strained public health infrastructure, and large numbers of displaced people” (p
1).
DQ 2. How does this outbreak compare to the Broad Street pump cholera epidemic in London in
1854?
This outbreak compares to the Broad Street pump cholera epidemic in London in 1854 by
both epidemics were caused from feces contaminated water supplies. The water that people were
drinking was from the Broad Street pump and people ended up becoming sick and dying. John
Snow decided that he was going to investigate this process and came to the conclusion that it was
indeed the Broad Street pump drinking water that was causing people sickness.
References
Dood, Florence. (2015). Risk of infectious and communicable diseases. [Case Study]
Harkness, G.A. & DeMarco, R.F. (2016). Community and public health nursing: evidence for practice.
(2nd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
Summers, Judith. (1989). Broad street pump outbreak. Retrieved from:
http://www.ph.ucla.edu/epi/snow/broadstreetpump.html