Symptoms and treatment of Cholera

Cholera

Description

Cholera is a disease that is caused by bacteria. More often, is transmitted through the water that has been contaminated with bacteria. It can also be transmitted through contaminated food. Cholera can cause severe diarrhea and dehydration. Without treatment, the disease can be fatal in a matter of hours, even in people who were healthy.

Modern sewage and water treatment almost have been spared from cholera in developed countries. But the anger still exists in some parts of Africa, South and Southeast Asia and Latin America. The risk of an outbreak of cholera is highest when poverty, war or natural disasters affect people. These situations can force people to live in crowded spaces that lack of sanitation services.

Cholera is easy to treat. Death by severe dehydration may be aboveented with a simple and low-cost rehydration solution.

Symptoms

The majority of the people exposed to the bacterium that causes cholera is not sick and does not know that I have been infected. But they can still infect other people even if their feces contaminate water or food.

When cholera the causes of symptoms, most often leads to mild or moderate loose stools, called diarrhea. This is often difficult to differentiate from diarrhea caused by other conditions. Other people develop more severe symptoms of cholera, most often within a few days of the infection.

The symptoms of cholera infection may include:

The diarrhea. Cholera-related diarrhea occurs suddenly and rapidly can cause the loss of fluids. Some adults do, as much as a quarter of a gallon, or about 1 liter, from the feces of an hour. Diarrhea due to cholera, often has a pale, milky appearance. You can see the water in which rice has been washed. And that often smells like fish.
Upset stomach and vomiting. Vomiting often occurs in the early stages of cholera. It can last for hours.
The dehydration.Dehydration can develop within hours after the wrath of the onset of symptoms. Can vary from mild to severe. A loss of 10% or more of body weight suggests a severe dehydration.

The dehydration. Dehydration can develop within hours after the wrath of the onset of symptoms. Can vary from mild to severe. A loss of 10% or more of body weight suggests a severe dehydration.

The symptoms of cholera dehydration include irritable behavior, fatigue, sunken eyes, dry mouth, extreme thirst, and little or no urinating. The skin may become dry, wrinkled, and slow to bounce back when pinched into a fold. Low blood pressure and an irregular heartbeat can also be symptoms.

Dehydration can lead to a rapid loss of minerals in the blood called electrolytes. These minerals maintain the balance of fluids in your body. When theand too, it is called an electrolyte imbalance.

Electrolyte imbalance

An electrolyte imbalance can cause severe symptoms such as:

Muscle cramps. These are the result of the rapid loss of salts such as sodium, chloride and potassium.
The shock. This is one of the most serious dangers of dehydration. This occurs when the rapid loss of fluids causes a drop in blood pressure and a decrease in the amount of oxygen in the body. Without treatment, severe shock can cause death in a matter of hours.

When to see a doctor

The risk of cholera is slflight in developed countries. Even in areas where it exists, is not likely to become infected if you follow food safety recommendations. Even so, cases of cholera occurring throughout the world. If you get severe diarrhea after visiting an area with the cholera, consult your health care professional.

If you have diarrhea, poor, especially diarrhea, and I think that might have been exposed to the cholera, to seek treatment immediately. Severe dehydration is a medical emergency that requires urgent attention.

Causes

A type of bacteriaa call Vibrio cholerae causes cholera infection. The deadly effects of the disease are the result of a toxin from the bacteria do in the small intestine. The toxin causes the body to drain huge amounts of water. This leads to diarrhea and the rapid loss of fluids and sales.

The cholera bacterium may not cause illness in all people who are exposed to them. But infected people still pass the bacteria in their feces, which can contaminate food and water supplies.

Contaminated the water supply is the main source of cholera infection- tion. The bacteria can be found in:

Surface or well water. Contaminated public wells are common sources of large-scale outbreaks of cholera. The people who live in conditions of overcrowding, lack of sanitation are especially at risk.
Seafood. Eating raw or undercooked shellfish, especially the seafood, which comes from certain places can be exposed to the cholera bacterium. Rarely, people in the united States have managed to cholera after eating raw or undercooked shellfish from the Gulf of Mexico.
The fruits and vegetables. Raw, unpeeled fruits and vegetables are a frequent source of infection in areas where there is cholera. In developing countries, uncomposted manure, fertilizers and irrigation water containing untreated sewage can contaminate produce in the field.
Grains. In the regions where cholera is widespread, humid grains such as rice and millet sometimes pose a risk. Can grow cholera bacteria if they are contaminated after cooking and kept at room temperature for hours.

Risk factors

All the world is prone to anger. But the disease is not common before the age of 2 years. Babies can get the protection from the disease when they breastfeed mothers who have had the disease in the past.

Even so, certain factors can make you more likely to catch the disease or who have severe symptoms. Risk factors for cholera are:

Poor sanitary conditions. Cholera is more likely to grow in places where a clean environment — including a drinking water supply — is difficult to maintain. Such conditions are common to the refugee camps, countries with limited resources and areas affected by famine, war or natural disasters.
Less or no acid in the stomach.The cholera bacteria can't survive in an acidic environment. Ordinary acid in the stomach, often serves as a defense against infection. But people with low levels of acid in the stomach, lack this the protection, so they are at greater risk of contracting cholera. Those most at risk are children, older adults, and people who take medications to reduce stomach acid. These medications include antacids, H-2 blockers or proton pump inhibitor drugs. People with a condition in which the body of the digestive juices lack of acid in the stomach are also at risk. This condition is called achlorhydria.
The in-house exhibition. Your risk of contracting cholera is higher if you live with someone who has the disease.
Blood type O. people with type O blood are more likely to contract cholera in comparison to people with other blood types. It is not clear why.
Raw or undercooked shellfish. The developed nations do not have large-scale outbreaks of cholera. But eating shellfish from waters known to harbor the bacteria greatly raises your risk.

Less or no acid in the stomach. The cholera bacteria can't survive in an acidic environment. Ordinary acid in the stomach, often serves as a defense against infection.

But people with low levels of acid in the stomach, lacking this protection, are at greater risk of cholera. Those most at risk are children, older adults, and people who take medications to reduce stomach acid. These medications include antacids, H-2 blockers or proton pump inhibitor drugs. People with a condition in which the body of the digestive juices of theck stomach acid are also at risk. This condition is called achlorhydria.

Complications

Cholera can be rapidly fatal. Sometimes, the rapid loss of large amounts of fluids and electrolytes can cause death in a matter of hours. Even in extreme situations, the disease can be fatal without treatment. People who do not receive treatment may die of dehydration and shock hours to days after cholera symptoms appear for the first time.

Shock and severe dehydration are the worst complications of cholera. But other conditions may occur, such as:

Low blood sugar. Another name for this is hypoglycemia. Blood sugar is the body's main source of energy. Dangerously low levels of what can happen when people become too sick to eat. The children are at greater risk. Of sugar in the blood that's too low can cause seizures, loss of consciousness and even death.
Low levels of potassium. People with cholera to lose large amounts of minerals, such as potassium, in their feces. Very low levels of potassium interfering with the heart and the nerve function, and the life-threatening.
The renal failure. When the kidneys lose their ability to filter the blood, excess amounts of fluids, some of the electrolytes, and waste products accumulate. This can be deadly. In people with cholera, kidney failure often occurs along with shock.

Prevention

Cholera is rare in the united States and other developed countries. In these places, the disease is sometimes linked to overseas travel. Or it can be paired with seafood from waters that are home to the cholera bacteria, such as those of the Gulf Coast.

If you travel to areas of known cholera, take the following safety measures. You can keep the risk of disease is very low:

Wash your hands with soap and water often. Hand washing is the key after using the bathroom and before handling food. Rub with soap and water, wet hands together for at least 20 seconds before rinsing. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
Drink only clean water,including bottled water or water that has been boiled or disinfected yourself. Use bottled water even for brushing teeth. Most often, hot drinks are safe. So are canned or bottled drinks, but cleaning the outside before you open it. And check to see that the seal is not broken. Do not add ice to your drinks unless you did the same thing with insurance of water.
Eat foods that are fully cooked and hot. Keep away from food from street vendors, if you can. If you purchase a meal from a street vendor, make sure that you simmer in your presence and served hot.
Stay away from sushi, as well as raw or undercooked fish and seafood of any kind.
Stick to the fruits and vegetables that you can peel yourself. Some examples are bananas, oranges, and avocados. Stay away from salads and fruits that cannot be peeled, such as grapes and berries.

Drink only clean water, including bottled water ora water-boiled or disinfected yourself. The use of bottled water even for brushing teeth.

Most often, hot drinks are safe. So are canned or bottled drinks, but cleaning the outside before you open it. And check to see that the seal is not broken. Do not add rec to drinks, unless you made to himself the use of potable water.

Cholera vaccine

People traveling from the united States to areas affected by cholera can get a vaccine against cholera called Vaxchora. It is suggested for people between the ages of 2 to 64 years old who plan to travel where cholera is spread or regularly spreads. It is a liquid dose that is taken orally for at least 10 days before travel.

Many other countries offer the vaccine taken by mouth as well. Contact your health-care provider or local public health office to obtain more information about these vaccines. Even with the vaccine, it is important to take the above security measures to prevent cholera.

Cholera

Diagnosis

Symptoms of severe cholera may seem clear in the areas where it is common. But the only way to find orut insurance if you have it is with an examination of the feces.

Rapid cholera dipstick tests to let the health professionals in remote areas quickly confirm if someone has cholera. The speed of the test helps to decrease the mortality rates at the start of the outbreaks of cholera. And this leads to earlier public health measures for the control of the outbreak.

Treatment

The cholera should be treated immediately, because the disease can cause death in a matter of hours. The treatments include:

The rehydration.The goal is to replace the loss of fluids and electrolytes using a simple rehydration solution, oral rehydration salts (ORS). The solution of ORS is available as a powder that can be made with bottled or boiled water. Without treatment, half of the people with serious outbreaks of cholera could die. With treatment, the deaths are reduced to less than 1%.
Fluids through a vein. You can listen to these so-called intravenous (IV) fluids. The majority of people with cholera can be helped by oral rehydration alone. But severely dehydrated people may also need intravenous fluids.
Antibiotics. These are medicines that help fight infections caused by bacteria. They are not a necessary part of the treatment of cholera. But some antibiotics may help treat cholera-related diarrhea and shorten the duration of the same in a very bad people.
Zinc supplements. Research has shown that zinc can reduce the diarrhea and shorten the duration of the same in children with cholera.

The rehydration. The goal is to replace the loss of fluids and electrolytes, with a simple rehydration solution, oral rehydration salts (ORS). The solution of ORS is available as a powder that you can do with bottled or boiled water.

Without treatment, half of the people with serious outbreaks of cholera could die. With treatment, the deaths are reduced to less than 1%.

Preparing for your appointment

If you are in or very recently returned from a countryconcerned, where cholera occurs, be aware of the symptoms. Get medical attention immediately if you have severe diarrhea or vomiting.

If you think you have been exposed to the cholera, but their symptoms are not serious, call your family a health care professional. Be sure to say that you think that your illness may be of cholera.

Here's some information to help you prepare for your exam.

When you make your appointment, ask if there are restrictions that you must follow before your visit.

Make a list of:

Their symptoms. Include, when they began and the degree of severity.
Any recent exposures to possible sources of infection. This is key if you've traveled abroad recently.
Key medical information. Include any other condition that is being treated.
All the medications, vitamins, or other supplements you take. Include the amount you take, also called the dose.
Questions to ask your health care professional.

Some questions to ask your health care professional about cholera are:

There are other conditions that could be the cause of my symptoms?
What tests do I need?
What treatment do you recommend it?
How soon after starting the treatment I'm going to start to feel better?
How much time do you expect a full recovery to take?
When can I go back to work or school?
Am I at risk of long-term problems of cholera?
Am I contagious? How can I reduce my risk of transmitting the disease to other people?

What to expect from your doctor

Your healthcare provider will likely ask questions such as:

Has had watery diarrhea? How serious is it?
Is there anything more unusual of afight of the way in which the stools look?
Has been vomiting?
You have had the symptoms of dehydration, such as thirst, muscle cramps or tiredness?
Has been able to keep any food or liquid?
You've eaten raw shellfish, such as oysters?
Are you pregnant?
What is your blood type, if you know?

What you can do in the meantime

Stay well hydrated. For the diarrhea and vomiting that may be of cholera associated with, the use of an oral rehydration solution.

In most of the developing countries, you can buy the powder from the packet orby oral rehydration salts (ORS). These were originally developed by the World Health Organization to treat diarrhea and dehydration in children with cholera. Mix the powder to clean drinking or boiled water according to the package instructions.

If not oral rehydration solutions are available, you can make your own. Combine the following:

1 quart (1 liter) of boiled or bottled water.
6 teaspoons (approximately 30 ml) of table sugar.
1/2 teaspoon (approximately 2.5 ml) of table salt.