Since 1817, there have been seven global cholera pandemics. In 2003, 111,575 cholera cases from forty five countries were reported to the World Health Organization.According to the World Health Organization, cholera is an infection that mainly occurs within the intestines. It is caused by eating or drinking food or water that has been contaminated with the cholera bacterium named Vibrio Cholerae. The complications of cholera will only occur if treatment is not promptly given.
Source of the Infection
The bacteria of cholera are excreted in feces and come in contact with drinking water or water used for washing and cooking. Eventually, it will infect people. The bacteria can also be spread to food if people do not practice proper hygiene and do not wash their hands thoroughly after using the toilet.The main reason for this is because cholera is initially asymptomatic. Most symptomatic or obvious cases of this particular disease cause mild to moderate bouts of diarrhea that are often hard to distinguish from the diarrhea that is caused by other health problems.When a person is infected with the bacteria that causes cholera, which is Vibrio Cholerae, these bacteria begin to grow within the intestines. After twenty four to forty eight hours, symptoms of cholera can occur. The period between becoming infected and the start of cholera symptoms is called the cholera incubation period.
Signs and Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of cholera include severe, voluminous, loose stools. The period of incubation for cholera is normally one to five days following the infection. Diarrhea is experienced almost immediately. Diarrhea caused by cholera is often in huge volumes and comes with mucus and dead cells. This term is also called as rice-watery stool.
Fatal Diarrhea
This makes cholera diarrhea so fatal since the loss of fluids is excessive. If the fluid loss is not replaced and exceeds five to ten liters, it can be life-threatening. Severe dehydration can make the skin floppy, cause muscular cramps and damage the voice box as the voice will become hoarse. Nausea and vomiting occur in both the early and later stages of cholera. As a result of a rapid loss in the essential natural body salts, such as sodium, chloride and potassium, painful muscle cramps may follow. Dehydration develops within hours after the onset of cholera symptoms and is much faster than in any other diarrheal diseases.
Dehydration
Dehydration can range from mild to severe depending on how much body fluid has been lost. A ten percent loss or more of the total body weight indicates severe dehydration. Signs and symptoms of dehydration include lethargy, confusion, sunken eyeballs, extreme thirst, dry mouth, dry skin which is very slow in bouncing back to its original stance whenever pinched, little urine or no urine output at all, low blood pressure and also an irregular heartbeat, medically termed as arrhythmias.
Dealing with Shock
Shock is the most possible serious complication of untreated cholera dehydration. Cholera as a Threat.The threat of cholera is small in developed nations, especially those with adequate water treatment. In endemic areas, you will not be infected if you follow food safety precautions and recommendations.If one is experiencing severe diarrhea and think you may have been exposed to cholera, do not waste time to seek treatment as soon as possible.
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Source of the Infection
The bacteria of cholera are excreted in feces and come in contact with drinking water or water used for washing and cooking. Eventually, it will infect people. The bacteria can also be spread to food if people do not practice proper hygiene and do not wash their hands thoroughly after using the toilet.The main reason for this is because cholera is initially asymptomatic. Most symptomatic or obvious cases of this particular disease cause mild to moderate bouts of diarrhea that are often hard to distinguish from the diarrhea that is caused by other health problems.When a person is infected with the bacteria that causes cholera, which is Vibrio Cholerae, these bacteria begin to grow within the intestines. After twenty four to forty eight hours, symptoms of cholera can occur. The period between becoming infected and the start of cholera symptoms is called the cholera incubation period.
Signs and Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of cholera include severe, voluminous, loose stools. The period of incubation for cholera is normally one to five days following the infection. Diarrhea is experienced almost immediately. Diarrhea caused by cholera is often in huge volumes and comes with mucus and dead cells. This term is also called as rice-watery stool.
Fatal Diarrhea
This makes cholera diarrhea so fatal since the loss of fluids is excessive. If the fluid loss is not replaced and exceeds five to ten liters, it can be life-threatening. Severe dehydration can make the skin floppy, cause muscular cramps and damage the voice box as the voice will become hoarse. Nausea and vomiting occur in both the early and later stages of cholera. As a result of a rapid loss in the essential natural body salts, such as sodium, chloride and potassium, painful muscle cramps may follow. Dehydration develops within hours after the onset of cholera symptoms and is much faster than in any other diarrheal diseases.
Dehydration
Dehydration can range from mild to severe depending on how much body fluid has been lost. A ten percent loss or more of the total body weight indicates severe dehydration. Signs and symptoms of dehydration include lethargy, confusion, sunken eyeballs, extreme thirst, dry mouth, dry skin which is very slow in bouncing back to its original stance whenever pinched, little urine or no urine output at all, low blood pressure and also an irregular heartbeat, medically termed as arrhythmias.
Dealing with Shock
Shock is the most possible serious complication of untreated cholera dehydration. Cholera as a Threat.The threat of cholera is small in developed nations, especially those with adequate water treatment. In endemic areas, you will not be infected if you follow food safety precautions and recommendations.If one is experiencing severe diarrhea and think you may have been exposed to cholera, do not waste time to seek treatment as soon as possible.
Download this ebook
Source by ezinearticles.com
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