What is Cholera?"Cholera is an acute, diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. An estimated 3-5 million cases and over 100,000 deaths occur each year around the world."
The infection is often mild that there are not serious symptoms of it at the preliminary phase of the infection. However, you really have to identify the infection, or else you might get a severe pain from it. Some patients end up dying with loss of fluid in your body, so you should keep track of symptoms.
Where is Cholera found?
"The cholera bacterium is usually found in water or food sources that have been contaminated by feces (poop) from a person infected with cholera. Cholera is most likely to be found and spread in places with inadequate water treatment, poor sanitation, and inadequate hygiene."
In poor areas, cholera is often spread by water that does not flow at all, or being polluted by waste. Other than the poor areas, cholera is mostly spread by consuming fish that are already contracted by Cholera, and eating raw fish or clamps.
How do you get infected?
Cholera is one of the common epidemics to be infected. People can get cholera by drinking water or eating food contaminated with the cholera bacterium. The disease can spread rapidly in areas with lack of hygiene. Inadequate treatment of sewage and drinking water might boost the spread of the disease. The disease is not likely to spread directly from one person to another. Many people concern whether to contact the patients or not. It is now shown that casual contact with an infected person is not a risk for becoming ill.
Cholera is one of the common epidemics to be infected. People can get cholera by drinking water or eating food contaminated with the cholera bacterium. The disease can spread rapidly in areas with lack of hygiene. Inadequate treatment of sewage and drinking water might boost the spread of the disease. The disease is not likely to spread directly from one person to another. Many people concern whether to contact the patients or not. It is now shown that casual contact with an infected person is not a risk for becoming ill.
What are the symptoms of Cholera?
Cholera infection is often mild or without symptoms, but can sometimes be severe. "Approximately one in 20 (5%) infected people will have severe symptoms, like profuse watery diarrhea, vomiting, or leg cramps." Rapid loss of body fluids leading to dehydration and shock is a main cause of death from Cholera. Without treatment, death can occur within hours.
What is the treatment for Cholera?
- Could be treated by immediate replacement of the fluid and salts lost through diarrhea.
- With replenishing the fluid and salts, fewer than 1% of cholera patients die. Antibiotics shorten the course and diminish the severity of the illness, but they are not as important as receiving replenishment. People who develop severe diarrhea and vomiting in countries where cholera occurs should seek medical attention promptly.
What should we do to avoid getting infected?
Once the symptoms of Cholera are observed, it is really easy to cure it. Prevention of Cholera is not a difficult thing to do. All people in areas where cholera is occurring or has occurred should observe the following recommendations:
- Drink only bottled, boiled, or chemically treated water and bottled or canned carbonated beverages. When using bottled drinks, make sure that the seal has not been broken.
- Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes.
- Wash your hands often with soap and clean water.
- If no water and soap are available, use an alcohol-based hand cleaner (with at least 60% alcohol).
- Clean your hands especially before you eat or prepare food and after using the bathroom.
- Use bottled, boiled, or chemically treated water to wash dishes, brush your teeth, wash and prepare food, or make ice.
- Eat foods that are packaged or that are freshly cooked and served hot.
- Do not eat raw meats and seafood or unpeeled fruits and vegetables.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 24 Feb. 2011. Web. 25 Jan. 2013.
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