Cholera
Cholera Definition
Cholera is a contagious kind of gastroenteritis caused by a bacterium named Vibrio cholerae. It is transmitted to humans via contaminated food or water. The cholera-causing bacterium produces an enterotoxin that obstructs the small intestine leading to diarrhea. Cholera is one of most fatal diseases in history, and it can transform a healthy person into a hypotensive one in a matter of hours. When not treated immediately, patients may die from the disease within three hours after diagnosis.
Cholera Prevention
Cholera is one of the dreaded diseases that ever occurred in history, but it is very simple to avoid. Sanitation practices should be done constantly in order to prevent the onset of the disease. People should be very much aware of the water that they are to drink, especially in places foreign to them. Water treatment is now performed in many countries including the United States and Western Europe, thus cholera is no longer a major health threat. Other sanitation practices include: Proper disposal and treatment of the beddings used by cholera patients Treatment of general sewage systems Constantly informing the public about cholera Sterilization of water and food materials as well as equipment
Cholera Symptoms and Signs
The main symptom of cholera is diarrhea. This diarrhea is so massive that the patient needs to take oral rehydration therapy or else he will die of dehydration.
Cholera Treatment
Cholera is treated by taking water and electrolyte replacement, as the patient rapidly loses the fluids his body needs. Oral rehydration is proven to be safe and effective, easy to use and inexpensive. Intravenous rehydration may be used on complicated cases as well. Antibiotics are also prescribed to treat cholera, namely tetracycline. Other antibiotics include erythromycin, doxycycline, cotrimoxazole and furazolidone.