Dalamaga, Maria

Kousoulis, Antonis A

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LSHTM Research Online

Kousoulis, AA (2012) Etymology of cholera. Emerging infectious dis-eases, 18 (3). p. 540. ISSN 1080-6040Downloaded from: http://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/2006417/Usage GuidelinesPlease refer to usage guidelines at http://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/policies.html or alterna-tively contact researchonline@lshtm.ac.uk.Available under license: Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivativeshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/LETTERSReferences  1.  Gray KJ, Kafulafula G, Matemba M, Ka-mdolozi M, Membe G, French N, et al. Streptococcus and HIV infection in preg-nant women, Malawi, 2008–2010. Emerg Infect Dis. 2011;17:1932–5.  2.  Epalza C, Goetghebuer T, Hainaut M, Prayez F, Barlow P, Dediste A, et al. High incidence of invasive group B streptococ-cal infections in HIV-exposed uninfected infants. Pediatrics. 2010;126:e631–8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.2010-0183  3.  Mussi-Pinhata MM, Freimanis L, Yama-moto AY, Korelitz J, Pinto JA, Cruz ML, et al. Infectious disease morbidity among young HIV-1–exposed but uninfected in-fants in Latin American and Caribbean countries: the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Interna-tional Site Development Initiative Perina-tal Study. Pediatrics. 2007;119:e694–704. http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.2006-1856  4.  Koyanagi A, Humphrey JH, Ntozini R, Nathoo K, Moulton LH, Iliff P, et al. Mor-bidity among human immunodefi ciency virus–exposed but uninfected, human im-munodefi ciency virus–infected, and hu-man immunodefi ciency virus–unexposed infants in Zimbabwe before availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2011;30:45–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/INF.0b013e3181ecbf7e  5.  Filteau S. The HIV-exposed, unin-fected African child. Trop Med Int Health. 2009;14:276–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3156.2009.02220.xAddress for correspondence: Tessa Goetghebuer, Hôpital Saint-Pierre–Department of Pediatrics, 322 Rue Haute, Brussels 1000, Belgium; email: tessa_goetghebuer@stpierre-bru.beEtymology of CholeraTo the Editor: I read with great interest the article by Männikkö (1) on the etymology of cholera. However, discovering the origin of the word with certainty is an intricate matter. The word cholera is undoubtedly Greek because Hippocrates was the fi rst to mention it in his writings, although the exact disease he was referring to is unknown (2,3).Apart from the rather probable derivation from cholē (the word for bile and a dominant term in the humoral theory, which is of Hippocratic and not Galenic [1] provenance), one more hypothesis has been suggested. The word cholera, sometimes cholēdra, originally meant a gutter (4). Following this connection, cholera came to mean a pestiferous disease during which fl uids are forcefully expelled from the body, resembling a gutter (4). This etymology-derived defi nition could suggest that Hippocrates and Galen, the prolifi c medical writers of antiquity who each in his time referred to cholera, may have witnessed cases of this infectious disease, albeit not in the epidemic form it took in ancient India (5).In addition, a missing clue on this issue is that cholera might derive from cholās, an Attic word meaning intestine, which has not survived in modern Greek (4). This new connection with the gastrointestinal tract further suggests possible knowledge of cholera in its present form, mainly diarrhea and vomiting. Hippocrates made such a reference, although loosely (2). Reaching a conclusion on the etymology of cholera remains intriguing.Antonis A. KousoulisAuthor affi liation: University of Athens, Athens, Greece; and Society of Junior Doctors, AthensDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid1803.111636References  1.  Männikkö N. Etymologia: cholera. Emerg Infect Dis. 2011;17:2104. http://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid1711.et1711  2.  Hippocrates. Collected works [in Greek]. Athens (Greece): Kaktos Publications; 1992.  3.  Howard-Jones N. Cholera nomencla-ture and nosology: a historical note. Bull World Health Organ. 1974;51:317–24.  4.  Stamatakos I. Dictionary of the an-cient Greek language [in Greek]. Athens (Greece): Phoenix; 1972.  5.  MacNamara NC. A history of Asiatic cholera. London: P. MacMillan; 1876.Address for correspondence: Antonis A. Kousoulis, 131 Lambrou Katsoni St, Moschato, Athens  18344, Greece; email: antonis.kousoulis@sni.gr540 Emerging Infectious Diseases • www.cdc.gov/eid • Vol. 18, No. 3, March 2012The Public Health Image Library (PHIL), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, contains thousands of public health-related images, including high-resolution (print quality) photographs, illustrations, and videos. PHIL collections illustrate current events and articles, supply visual content for health promotion brochures, document the effects of disease, and enhance instructional media.PHIL Images, accessible to PC and Macintosh users, are in the public domain and available without charge. Visit PHIL at http://phil.cdc.gov/phil.The Public Health Image Library (PHIL)

A history of Asiatic cholera.

Cholera nomenclature and nosology: a historical note. Bull World Health Organ.

Collected works [in Greek].

Dictionary of the ancient Greek language [in Greek].

Etymologia: cholera. Emerg Infect Dis.

Uncovering the life and work of Louis Tribondeau: a pioneer in dermatology and biochemistry.

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