Cholera


Cholera is an acute diarrheal disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It leads to severe dehydration and, if untreated, can be fatal. The disease is primarily spread through contaminated water and food, particularly in areas with poor sanitation.

Any person 5 years of age or older who develops severe dehydration or dies from acute watery diarrhea, with or without vomiting.

Signs and Symptoms

  • Profuse watery diarrhea (“rice water” stools)
  • Vomiting
  • Rapid dehydration
  • Muscle cramps
  • Sunken eyes
  • Dry mouth and extreme thirst
  • Weakness and lethargy
  • Hypotension (low blood pressure)
  • Reduced or absent urine output

Complications

  • Severe dehydration leading to shock
  • Kidney failure
  • Electrolyte imbalance (hypokalemia, metabolic acidosis)
  • Death if untreated

Transmission

  • Ingestion of water or food contaminated with Vibrio cholerae
  • Fecal-oral route (poor sanitation and hygiene)
  • Consumption of raw or undercooked seafood
  • Person-to-person transmission is rare

Causative Agent

  • Vibrio cholerae (serogroups O1 and O139 are responsible for epidemics)

Incubation Period

  • Usually 2 hours to 5 days after exposure

Reservoir

  • Humans (primary reservoir)
  • Contaminated water sources (rivers, lakes, and coastal waters)
  • Seafood, especially shellfish

Prevention and Control Measures

  • Safe Water and Sanitation
    • Boil or treat drinking water with chlorine
    • Improve sewage and waste management
  • Good Hygiene Practices
    • Handwashing with soap and water
    • Proper food handling and cooking
  • Vaccination
    • Oral cholera vaccines (e.g., Dukoral, Shanchol, Euvichol)
  • Health Education
    • Awareness about safe water and sanitation
    • Rapid response to outbreaks

Laboratory Diagnosis

  • Stool Sample Examination
    • Culture on Thiosulfate-Citrate-Bile-Sucrose (TCBS) agar
    • Microscopy (dark-field for characteristic motility)
  • Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs)
    • Detect Vibrio cholerae antigen
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
    • Detects cholera toxin genes

Treatment

  • Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT)
    • Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) to prevent dehydration
  • Intravenous (IV) Fluids
    • Used in severe dehydration cases
  • Antibiotics (for severe cases)
    • Doxycycline (adults)
    • Azithromycin (children and pregnant women)
  • Zinc Supplementation
    • Helps reduce diarrhea duration in children

Effective prevention and rapid treatment reduce cholera mortality rates significantly.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hernia

A hernia is a condition in which an organ or tissue pushes through a weak spot in the surrounding muscle or connective tissue. It commonly occurs in the abdominal wall but can also develop in other parts of the body. Signs and Symptoms A visible lump or bulge in the affected area (e.g., abdomen, groin) Pain or discomfort, especially when lifting, coughing, or straining A feeling of pressure or heaviness in the affected region Burning or aching sensation at the site of the bulge In some cases, nausea or vomiting if the hernia becomes obstructed Complications Incarceration: The hernia becomes trapped and cannot be pushed back in, causing pain. Strangulation: Blood supply to the herniated tissue is cut off, leading to tissue death (a medical emergency). Bowel obstruction: If intestines are involved, it can lead to blockage and digestive issues. Chronic pain: Persistent discomfort due to nerve compression or irritation. Transmission Hernia is not an infectious dis...
Read more

Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by elevated blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia) due to either inadequate insulin production by the pancreas or the body's inability to effectively use insulin. Signs and Symptoms Increased thirst (polydipsia) Frequent urination (polyuria) Excessive hunger (polyphagia) Unexplained weight loss Fatigue Blurred vision Slow-healing wounds Frequent infections (e.g., skin, gums, urinary tract) Numbness or tingling in hands and feet Complications If left uncontrolled, diabetes can lead to: Cardiovascular diseases (heart attack, stroke) Neuropathy (nerve damage) Nephropathy (kidney disease) Retinopathy (eye damage, blindness) Diabetic foot ulcers and amputations Increased risk of infections Ketoacidosis (in Type 1 Diabetes) Transmission Diabetes is not a communicable disease; it does not spread from person to person. It is influenced by genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Causative Agent Diabetes is not caused by a pathogen....
Read more

Measles

  Any person with fever and maculopapular rashes PLUS one of the following signs:    1. Conjunctivitis (redness of the eyes)    2. Coryza (runny nose)    3. Cough    is an acute viral communicable disease caused by the measles virus (rubeola).         SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS    Fever, rashes, conjunctivitis, coryza, cough, headache, malaise, otitis media, inflammation of the respiratory tract, dehydration.              TRANSMISSION    Droplets or contact with an infected person.              CAUSATIVE AGENT     Measles virus (rubeola virus)             INCUBATION PERIOD   7–18 days or 16–18 days, but usually 10 days.                RESERVOIR                  Humans           PREVENTION A...
Read more

Yellow Fever

Any person with sudden onset of high fever followed by jaundice within two weeks from the onset of the first symptoms. It is an acute infectious disease caused by the yellow fever virus.   It is an acute disease of high mortality.   TYPE OF YELLOW FEVER 1. Urban or Rural (Epidemic) (man to man) 2. Sylvatic or Jungle (monkey to monkey)   SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS Fever, jaundice, headache, hematuria, bleeding of gums, backache, muscle pain, vomiting, abdominal disturbance, chills.   TRANSMISSION  By the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito.   CAUSATIVE AGENT Yellow fever virus.   INCUBATION PERIOD          3–6 days.   RESERVOIR Man and monkey.   PREVENTION AND CONTROL 1. Immunization with the yellow fever vaccine.   2. Treatment of an infected person. 3. Surveillance   4. Sanitation.   5. Use of insecticides.   6. Health education
Read more

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is a very serious chronic bacterial communicable infection that attacks the lungs and other parts of the body.       TYPES OF TUBERCULOSIS 1. PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS: This type of tuberculosis affects the lungs. 2. EXTRAPULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS: This type of tuberculosis affects the bones, kidneys, brain, abdomen, and reproductive organs. SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS Fever, cough, chest pain, night sweats, difficulty in breathing, weight loss, loss of appetite, coughing up blood in the later stages, chronic fatigue, emaciation. TRANSMISSION Transmission occurs via airborne droplets from the sputum of an infected person, consumption of infected cow's milk, and prolonged exposure to an active case may lead to infection. CAUSATIVE AGENT Mycobacterium tuberculosis (tubercle bacillus). INCUBATION PERIOD 4 to 12 weeks. RESERVOIR Humans and cows. PREVENTION AND CONTROL 1. Immunization with the BCG vaccine. 2. Treatment of infected individuals. 3. Isolation. 4. Surveillance. 5....
Read more

Covid-19 (Coronavirus)

COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It primarily affects the respiratory system but can also impact other organs. Signs and Symptoms COVID-19 symptoms range from mild to severe and may include: Common Symptoms: Fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, sore throat, muscle aches, headache, and loss of taste or smell. Severe Symptoms: Difficulty breathing, persistent chest pain, confusion, bluish lips or face. Gastrointestinal Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. Complications Severe cases of COVID-19 can lead to: Pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) Multi-organ failure Blood clots and stroke Long COVID (persistent symptoms lasting weeks or months) Death, especially in high-risk individuals Transmission COVID-19 spreads mainly through: Respiratory droplets (from coughing, sneezing, or talking) Airborne transmission (in poorly ventilated areas) Direct contact (touching an infected...
Read more

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS (HPV) Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a group of more than 200 related viruses that infect the skin and mucous membranes. Some types cause benign warts, while others are associated with cancers, including cervical, anal, and oropharyngeal cancers. SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS HPV infections often do not cause symptoms, but when they do, they can include: Genital warts (small, flesh-colored bumps, often clustered) Common warts ( on hands and fingers) Plantar warts (on the soles of the feet) Flat warts (smooth lesions that appear anywhere on the body) Precancerous lesions ( detected via screening, often asymptomatic) COMPLICATIONS Cervical cancer (strongly linked to high-risk HPV types 16 and 18) Other cancers (vaginal, vulvar, anal, penile, and oropharyngeal) Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis (RRP) (HPV infection in the airway, causing voice and breathing difficulties) TRANSMISSION Sexual contact (vaginal, anal, and oral sex) Skin-to-skin contact (even without interco...
Read more

Diphtheria

Diphtheria is an acute bacterial communicable infection that affects the mucous membranes of the nose, tonsils, pharynx, and larynx, and it can cause respiratory obstruction. SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS Fever, cough, sore throat, laryngitis, headache, pain, and loss of appetite. TRANSMISSION By airborne droplets, direct contact, indirect contact (through fomites), and by ingestion of contaminated raw milk. CAUSATIVE AGENT Corynebacterium diphtheriae. INCUBATION PERIOD         2 to 5 days. PREVENTION AND CONTROL 1. Immunization with the pentavalent vaccine. 2. Treatment of an infected person. 3. Isolation. 4. Surveillance 5. Environmental and personal hygiene. 6. Health education.
Read more