Stopping cholera spread across African communities
Epidemiology and Ecology of Cholera in Africa
This project uses community tracking, lab testing, and mapping to find how cholera moves between districts in African countries so health teams can stop outbreaks.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11508806 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my perspective as someone in an affected community, this work looks for where cholera infections start and how they travel between districts by combining community surveillance, testing of patient and environmental samples, and genetic tracing of the bacteria. Teams will use laboratory methods to identify specific Vibrio cholerae lineages and related viruses, and GIS mapping to show how infections move across places. The project will follow outbreaks in countries such as Nigeria and Uganda and watch how public health actions change transmission patterns. Results will feed into a simple “cholera elimination scorecard” to track progress toward stopping outbreaks in districts.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living in or near cholera-affected districts in Nigeria or Uganda, or those who have recently had cholera-like illness, would be the main candidates for participation.
Not a fit: People outside the affected regions or those seeking immediate clinical care rather than participating in surveillance will not directly benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could help countries stop outbreaks faster and reduce cholera cases and deaths in affected communities.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier work has used genetic and mapping methods to track cholera spread and showed that outbreaks often arrive from elsewhere rather than originating locally, but large-scale elimination strategies are still being tested.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sack, David a — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Sack, David a
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.