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Background In mid-2016, a cholera outbreak occurred in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. This retrospective study aims to determine if a reactive, ring vaccination strategy would have been useful in preventing cholera transmission during that outbreak. Methods Data on cholera cases were collected as part of hospital-based surveillance in the Kathmandu Valley in 2016. Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates were obtained during household visits. Geographic clusters of cases were visually determined and tested statistically for clustering. Cluster size was determined based on the distribution of cases around the index case. Results GPS coordinates for 69 cases were analysed. Six geographic clusters were identified, all of which showed significant clustering of cases. Approximately 85% of cases within a cluster occurred more than 7 d after the index case. The median ring size was 1 km, with a population of 14 000 people. Conclusions Cholera cases were clustered in space and the majority of cases occurred over 1 week after the initial cases in the cluster, allowing for an opportunity to prevent transmission through the use of the vaccine soon after the initial case was identified. A ring vaccination strategy may be especially useful for large urban areas with recurrent seasonal outbreaks but where the specific locations for such outbreaks are not predictable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive targeted intervention (CTI) was designed and deployed in the neighborhoods of cholera cases in the Kathmandu Valley with the intent of reducing rates among the neighbors of the case. This was a feasibility study to determine whether clinical centers, laboratories, and field teams were able to mount a rapid, community-based response to a case within 2 days of hospital admission. Daily line listings were requested from 15 participating hospitals during the monsoon season, and a single case initiated the CTI. A standard case definition was used: acute watery diarrhea, with or without vomiting, in a patient aged 1 year or older. Rapid diagnostic tests and bacterial culture were used for confirmation. The strategy included household investigation of cases; water testing; water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) intervention; and health education. A CTI coverage survey was conducted 8 months postintervention. From June to December of 2016, 169 cases of Vibrio cholerae O1 were confirmed by bacterial culture. Average time to culture result was 3 days. On average, the CTI Rapid Response Team (RRT) was able to visit households 1.7 days after the culture result was received from the hospital (3.9 days from hospital admission). Coverage of WASH and health behavior messaging campaigns were 30.2% in the target areas. Recipients of the intervention were more likely to have knowledge of cholera symptoms, treatment, and prevention than non-recipients. Although the RRT were able to investigate cases at the household within 2 days of a positive culture result, the study identified several constraints that limited a truly rapid response.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global public health concern and its surveillance is a fundamental tool for monitoring the development of AMR. In 1998, the Nepalese Ministry of Health (MOH) launched an Infectious Disease (ID) programme. The key components of the programme were to establish a surveillance programme for AMR and to develop awareness among physicians regarding AMR and rational drug usage in Nepal., Methods: An AMR surveillance programme was established and implemented by the Nepalese MOH in partnership with the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR, B) from 1998 to 2003. From 2004 to 2012, the programme was integrated and maintained as a core activity of the National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) and resulted in an increased number of participating laboratories and pathogens brought under surveillance. The main strategies were to build national capacity on isolation, identification and AMR testing of bacterial pathogens, establish laboratory networking and an External Quality Assessment (EQA) programme, promote standardised recording and reporting of results, and to ensure timely analysis and dissemination of data for advocacy and national policy adaptations. The programme was initiated by nine participating laboratories performing AMR surveillance on Vibrio cholerae, Shigella spp., Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae., Results: The number of participating laboratories was ultimately increased to 13 and the number of pathogens under surveillance was increased to seven (Salmonella spp. was added to the surveillance programme in 2002 and extended spectrum β-lactamase producing Escherichia coli in 2011). From 1999 to 2012, data were available on 17,103 bacterial isolates. During the AMR programme, we observed changing trends in serovars/species for Salmonella spp., Shigella spp. and V. cholerae and changing AMR trend for all organisms. Notably, N. gonorrhoeae isolates demonstrated increasing resistance to ciprofloxacin. Additionally, the performance of the participating laboratories improved as shown by annual EQA data evaluation., Conclusions: This Nepalese AMR programme continues and serves as a model for sustainable surveillance of AMR monitoring in resource limited settings.