overview
Cholera is a bacterial disease that usually spreads through contaminated water. Cholera causes severe diarrhea and dehydration. If left untreated, cholera can be fatal within hours, even in previously healthy people.
- Modern wastewater and water treatment has practically eliminated cholera in industrialized countries. However, cholera still exists in Africa, Southeast Asia and Haiti. The risk of a cholera epidemic is greatest when poverty, war or natural disasters force people to live in overcrowded conditions without adequate sanitation.
- Cholera is easy to treat. Death from severe dehydration can be prevented with a simple, inexpensive rehydration solution.Cholera Treatment Hyderabad
symptom
Most people who are exposed to the cholera bacteria (Vibrio cholerae) do not get sick and do not know they have been infected. Since they shed the cholera bacteria in their stool for seven to 14 days, they can still infect other people through the contaminated water.
- Most cases of cholera that cause symptoms cause mild or moderate diarrhea, which is often difficult to distinguish from diarrhea caused by other problems. Others develop more severe signs and symptoms of cholera, usually a few days after becoming infected.
Symptoms of a cholera infection can include:
- Diarrhea. Cholera-related diarrhea occurs suddenly and can quickly lead to dangerous fluid loss – up to a quarter (about 1 liter) per hour. Diarrhea caused by cholera often has a pale, milky appearance that resembles the water that the rice was washed in.
- Nausea and vomiting. Vomiting usually occurs in the early stages of cholera and can last for hours.
- Dehydration. Dehydration can develop within hours of the onset of cholera symptoms and can range from mild to severe. A loss of 10% or more in body weight indicates severe dehydration.Cholera Treatment Hyderabad
The reasons
Surface or well water. Contaminated public wells are a common cause of large-scale cholera epidemics. People who live in overcrowded conditions without adequate sanitation are particularly at risk.
Seafood: Eating raw or undercooked seafood, especially shellfish that comes from certain locations, can expose you to the cholera bacteria. The most recent cases of cholera in the United States have been attributed to seafood from the Gulf of Mexico.
Raw fruits and vegetables. Raw, unpeeled fruits and vegetables are a common source of cholera infection in areas with cholera. In developing countries, uncomposted manure fertilizers or irrigation water containing raw sewage can contaminate the produce in the field.
Grain. In areas where cholera is prevalent, grains such as rice and millet that are contaminated after cooking and stored for several hours at room temperature can develop the cholera bacteria.
Risk factors
Everyone is susceptible to cholera except infants, who benefit from the immunity of nursing mothers who have had cholera in the past. However, there are factors that can make you more susceptible to the disease or more likely to have serious signs and symptoms.
Risk factors for cholera are:
- Bad sanitary conditions. Cholera is more likely to thrive in situations where it is difficult to maintain a sanitary environment – including a safe water supply. These conditions are common in refugee camps, poor countries, and areas affected by famine, war, or natural disasters.
- Reduced or no stomach acid. Cholera bacteria cannot survive in an acidic environment, and normal stomach acid is often used to ward off infection. However, people with low gastric acid levels – such as children, older adults, and people taking antacids, H-2 inhibitors, or proton pump inhibitors – do not have this protection. You are therefore at a higher risk of cholera.
- Household exposure. You are at an increased risk of cholera if you live with someone who has the disease.Cholera Treatment Hyderabad
prevention
Cholera is rare in the United States, with the few cases associated with travel outside the United States. or contaminated and uncooked seafood from Gulf Coast waters.
- When traveling to areas known to have cholera, your risk of developing the disease is extremely small if you observe the following precautions:
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, especially after going to the toilet and use.