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

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.)