title: Feasibility of a preventive mass vaccination campaign with two doses of oral cholera vaccine during a humanitarian emergency in South Sudan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As an adjunct to cholera prevention measures, WHO advises the use of oral cholera vaccine through mass vaccination campaigns in high-risk areas and for vulnerable population groups. We assessed the feasibility and acceptability of a mass vaccination campaign using 1) a predominantly fixed and 2) a mobile door-to-door strategy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Vaccination included administration of two doses (given 2 weeks apart) of oral cholera vaccine to individuals older than 1 year of age, in four refugee camps: Jamam, Doro, Batil and Gendrassa, and the host population in Maban County, South Sudan, from December 2012 to February 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 258 832 doses were administered to a population of 166 000 (126 000 refugees and 40 000 host population). The first round coverage for the refugees was above 84% for Doro, Jamam and Batil and 104% for Gendrassa. The second dose reached the same coverage as the first dose. For the host population, the coverage for the first dose was above 90% in Doro and Jamam and 53% in Gendrassa and Batil. For the second round, the coverage was above 79% in Doro and Jamam and above 70% in Batil and Gendrassa.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The vaccination of a large population in an emergency context proved to be feasible and acceptable and achieved high coverage. This is encouraging and is a way forward for reducing cholera related morbidity and mortality among vulnerable populations.
authors.affiliation: Médecins Sans Frontières Belgium, Rue Dupré 94, 1090 Brussels, Belgium ilaria.porta@brussels.msf.org.
authors.forename: M Ilaria
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Porta
authors.affiliation: Médecins Sans Frontières Holland, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Annick
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lenglet
authors.affiliation: Médecins Sans Frontières Holland, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Weerdt
authors.affiliation: Médecins Sans Frontières Belgium, Rue Dupré 94, 1090 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Crestani
authors.affiliation: Médecins Sans Frontières Holland, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Renate
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sinke
authors.affiliation: Médecins Sans Frontières Holland, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mary Jo
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Frawley
authors.affiliation: Médecins Sans Frontières Belgium, Rue Dupré 94, 1090 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Herp
authors.affiliation: Médecins Sans Frontières Belgium, Rue Dupré 94, 1090 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Rony
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zachariah
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002771:Cholera / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022121:Cholera Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004630:Emergencies; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D032541:Mass Vaccination / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009934:Organization and Administration; D012036:Refugees; D013397:Sudan / Q000453:epidemiology; D035862:Vulnerable Populations; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D022121:Cholera Vaccines
keywords: Oral cholera vaccine; Preventive mass vaccination campaign; Refugee camps; South Sudan