Clinical and epidemiological factors associated with severe dehydration from cholera among pediatric patients in the community of Lusaka, Zambia, October 2023-May 2024.

Factors associated with severe dehydration from cholera among children in the community is still not fully understood. We analyzed the characteristics of the pediatric cases who were hospitalized in the community cholera treatment centers in the capital Lusaka between October 2023 and May 2024. Presence of underlying conditions (e.g. human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, severe acute malnutrition), specific catchment areas (e.g. low-income residential areas), and an early phase of the outbreak was associated with increased numbers of severe cases in the community by multivariate analysis. Our study highlighted the importance of mobilization of resources and efforts aimed at enhancing surveillance, risk communication, and case management in the early phase of the outbreak for children living in high-risk areas and those with underlying conditions, in order to reduce severe cases of cholera among children in the community.