RISKS OF TRANSMITTING CHOLERA THROUGH FIS HERY PRODUCTS - THE REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE OF SOUTH-AMERICA

Cholera returned to South America in January 1991, after almost a cent ury of absence. The hygienic status of the countries affected, aggrava ted by economic and political difficulties, allowed the disease to spr ead rapidly. In Peru, fishery products were incriminated from the outs et, although without conclusive evidence. However, epidemiological and laboratory findings in other countries have confirmed the transmissio n of the disease by these products. The authors discuss the effects of the recent cholera epidemic on the trade and consumption of fishery p roducts in countries of South America. The actual risk of cholera tran smission by food and in particular by the consumption of fishery produ cts is discussed, and a basis for conducting an accurate evaluation of these risks is proposed. Finally, the authors summarise the measures recommended to prevent the transmission of cholera by fishery products .