Cholera
Cholera is a serious infection of the intestines. It is caused by drinking or eating contaminated water or food. It is caused by the Vibrio cholerae bacterium. This bacterium is mostly found in water. It does not get into the blood system. When humans ingest the bacterium, they excrete it in their stool. It can be passed to others through the oral route of their faeces. That means people drink water or eat food which has been contaminated with the bacterium, and get infected.
Symptoms of cholera
People are advised to watch out for symptoms of cholera which include: severe watery diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, dehydration, muscle cramps, kidney and circulatory failure. It takes between 2-5 days to become sick after drinking contaminated water or eating contaminated food. It is very important for people to seek medical help if they experience any symptoms. A person can die of cholera within six hours of the first appearance of symptoms if they do not receive immediate attention.
Signs and symptoms in children
They are not really different from adult's symptoms. Children could further experience the following symptoms
- Extreme drowsiness or even coma
- Fever
- Convulsions
Transmission of cholera
A person may get cholera by drinking water or eating food which is contaminated with the cholera bacterium known as a Vibrio cholerae. The source of the contamination is usually the faeces of an infected person. This happens when the person passes the stool on the ground and that contaminates the drinking water or food. Incidents of infection are mostly found in areas with inadequate treatment of sewage or no sanitation at all. The good thing about this disease is that it does not spread directly from one person to another. You cannot catch cholera by touching an infected person.
Diagnosis of cholera
Cholera must be diagnosed by the presentation of a positive stool specimen.
Treatment of cholera
Cholera is a life threatening disease. The good news is that it can be treated if diagnosed immediately. Successful treatment requires the replacing of fluids and salts lost through diarrhoea. Antibiotics can also help but it is very important for a patient to drink the sugar and salt solution in large quantities.
Prevention and awareness of cholera
It is very important for people living in high-risk areas to sterilise (purify) water before use. The simplest and cheapest way of cleaning water at home is to:-
- Boil water for at least ten minutes and leave to cool before drinking.
- Add 1 teaspoon of household bleach to 25 litres of water and mix. Leave the water in the container overnight or for at least two hours before using.
- If a little water is needed, add five drops of bleach to one litre of water and leave for half an hour before drinking.
IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!!!
- Wash hands with soap and clean water after visiting the toilet.
- Wash hands with soap and clean water before preparing food.
- Wash fruit and vegetables with clean water.
- Prepare and store food under proper hygienic conditions.
- Cook food thoroughly in treated water and eat while still hot.
- Avoid mixing raw food with cooked food.
Leftovers should be reheated before eating.
Sources:
Oral Rehydration Solution
Cholera Statistics
South Africa has recently experienced an upsurge in the incidence of cholera. There were more than 6 000 reported cases of cholera reported in February 2009. More than 50 people died from this disease. Most of the victims were from Mpumalanga and Limpopo.
Source:
Science in Africa
For more articles on cholera, click below:
Page Updated: 16 March 2011
