El Nino's Role in Historic Cholera Pandemics: Insights from Early 20th Century India

A new study suggests El Nino events may have facilitated the spread of cholera by influencing climate extremes. Researchers analyzed early 20th-century cholera pandemics in India, unveiling correlations between unusual weather and the emergence of new bacterial strains. The phenomenon continues to affect cholera patterns today.

An El Nino event may have acted as a catalyst for cholera outbreaks by creating conditions conducive to the disease's spread during the early 20th century, a recent study reveals.

Investigating the sixth cholera pandemic (1899-1923), researchers discovered that climate extremes driven by El Nino likely aided the formation and transmission of a new strain of the Vibrio cholerae bacterium. This strain caused unprecedented mortality, particularly in India.

The findings, published in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, indicate that historical climate anomalies coincide with cholera death spikes. This understanding could help predict and manage future cholera outbreaks in the context of ongoing global warming.

(With inputs from agencies.)