The Origin of Cholera:
Cholera was rampant in the U.S. In the 1800s, before modern water and sanitation systems eliminated their spread of polluted water. Only about 10 cases are reported annually in the U.S., And half of them are found abroad. Often, contaminated seafood has caused an outbreak of cholera in the U.S. However, outbreaks of cholera are still a significant problem in some parts of the world. The World Health Organization reports that there are an estimated 1.3 million to 4 million cases each year.
The disease is most common in areas with no sanitation, overcrowding, wars, and famines. Common areas include parts of Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. If you are visiting one of those places, knowing the following cholera facts may help you protect yourself and your family.
Causes of CHOLERA:
Vibrio cholera, a virus that causes cholera, is commonly found in food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person. Available sources include:
- Municipal water services
- Ice made of municipal water
- Food and beverages sold by street vendors
- Vegetables are grown in water that contains human waste
- Raw or raw fish and seafood caught in the water are contaminated with sewage
When a person consumes contaminated food or water, the bacteria that release toxins into the gut produce powerful diarrhea.
It is unlikely that you will catch cholera simply by contact with an infected person.
SYMPTOMS OF CHOLERA:
Symptoms of cholera may begin as soon as a few hours or five days after infection. Usually, the symptoms are mild. But sometimes, they are earnest. About 1 in 20 infected people has high-water diarrhea with vomiting that can quickly lead to dehydration. Although most infected people may have few or no symptoms, they can still contribute to the spread of the disease.
Signs and symptoms of dehydration include:
- Rapid heartbeat
- Loss of firmness of the skin (the ability to return to its original state as soon as it is lightened)
- Dry mucus, including the inside of the mouth, throat, nose, and eyelids
- Dry
- Low blood pressure
Left untreated, dehydration can lead to shock and death within hours.
Cholera Treatment and Prevention:
There is a vaccine for cholera. Both the CDC and the World Health Organization have specific guidelines on who should be given this vaccine.
You can protect yourself and your family by using only boiled water, disinfected water, or bottled water. Be sure to use bottled, boiled, or disinfected water for the following purposes.
- Drinking
- Preparing food or drink
- Making ice
- Brushing your teeth
- Washing the face and hands
- Washing dishes used for food or making food
- Washing fruits and vegetables
To disinfect your water, boil it for one minute (or three minutes on high) or strain it and use a chemical disinfectant. You should also avoid raw foods, including the following:
- Unripe fruits and vegetables
- Dairy products and neglected dairy products
- Raw or uncooked meat or mussels
- Fish caught on hot, non-polluted trunks
If you have severe diarrhea, watery vomiting, especially after eating mussels, or traveling to a country where cholera is an epidemic - seek medical help immediately. Cholera may be severely curable, but it is essential to get cholera treatment as soon as possible because dehydration can occur quickly.
Water implants are the mainstay of cholera treatment. Depending on the severity of diarrhea, treatment will consist of oral or intravenous solutions to replace the lost fluid. Antibiotics kill bacteria, not part of the emergency treatment of minor cases. But they can reduce the time of diarrhea by half and reduce the spread of germs, thus helping to prevent the spread of the disease.
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