Health Information : Cholera

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What is cholera?

Cholera is an acute, infectious disease caused by the consumption of water or food contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholera.

What causes cholera?

Vibrio cholerae is usually found in impure water supplies because of the unsanitary disposal of excrement. Person-to-person transmission is rare. It is usually transmitted by consuming contaminated food or water from:

• municipal water supplies
• ice made from municipal water
• foods and beverages bought from street vendors
• vegetables irrigated with fresh sewage
• raw or inadequately cooked fish and seafood taken from sewage-polluted waters

What are the symptoms of Cholera?

The symptoms of Cholera can range from mild to severe depending on the severity of the disease. One may have severe watery diarrhea accompanied by vomiting and further leading to intense dehydration. Other signs and symptoms include:

• Loose skin
• Fast heart beat
• Dry mouth low blood pressure
• Leg cramps
• Less sweating
• Rapid weight loss

Treatment for cholera:

There is a vaccine for Cholera but WHO doesn’t recommend it because it may not be effective to nearly half of people who take it and also lasts only few months. It is highly recommended to drink boiled water, chemically disinfected water or bottled water.

The medical specialists will give you ORS to prevent dehydration. Antibiotics for Cholera are avoided as there is risk of growing bacterial resistance.