Cholera a reemerging infectious disease: cv 638, a tool for its prevention

Abstract

This article aims to perform a review of the colera and vaccine candidate CV 638. Cholera is a reemerging infectious disease characterized by profuse diarrhea with rice water appearance, caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae of the O1 and O139 serogroups. Strains of the O1 serogroup are responsible for the seventh cholera pandemic. The incidence of various factors such as natural disasters, weak health systems, poor accessibility to potable water and refugee camps, has meant that each year is reported that between 3 and 5 million people suffer from this disease, with a high number of deaths. Moreover, in many regions of the world, cholera has become endemic, which has caused major losses in macro- and microeconomics of the countries concerned. It has also reported an increase in antimicrobial resistance, so since 2005 the World Health Organization has recommended the use of oral vaccines as an adjunct to the control of the disease in certain endemic and epidemic situations. In Cuba following the cholera epidemic that hit Peru in 1991, it has been developing the vaccine candidate Vibrio cholera 638 which has been shown to be safe, immunogenic and protective.