Cholera on Nauru. Possible non-point source transmission.

An outbreak of Vibrio cholerae, serotype Ogawa, biotype El Tor, was experienced on the coral atoll of Nauru in the central Pacific. Primary water-borne transmission was unlikely because the population was supplied with water from individual rainwater catchment tanks and surveillance of the tanks of patients and persons with asymptomatic infection showed no evidence of contamination with V. cholerae. A matched pair, case-control study suggested a food-borne point source for transmission also was unlikely. The principal mode of transmission was not established, but spread of cholera appeared to be by a route other than common source contamination of water or food.