Cholera Prophylaxis

Cholera General Information

Cholera is a commonly known medical disorder. Most physicians define it as an acute, diarrheal medical condition that is triggered by an infection which affects the patient’s intestines. The pathogen that is known to cause this medical disorder is a bacterium known as Vibrio cholerae. Although in most clinical cases the individual only presents a mild form of this infectious medical illness (that does not trigger any particular clinical manifestations – an asymptomatic condition), some cases of Cholera can be very severe and dangerous. 1 out of 20 individuals who have been diagnosed with this infectious medical condition are suffering from the severe form of this illness. In such cases, the disorder does trigger a set of clinical manifestations; the most common of them include the following symptoms: leg cramps, vomiting, watery diarrhea, and so on. Such individuals experience a rapid loss of their body fluids. This eventually leads to shock and / or dehydration. Without an appropriate therapy, the individual can experience death in a matter of hours.

Cholera Prophylaxis

An individual may easily become infected with this infectious medical disorder if he or she consumes contaminated water or contaminated food or if he or she does not follow the steps that ensure Cholera Prophylaxis (the ones that we will present you here). In case of an epidemic, the most common contamination source is represented by the faeces or an infected individual. This infectious disorder can rapidly spread, especially in developing countries. The bacterium that causes this medical condition can also live in coastal water, brackish rivers, and other similar environments. In some cases, individuals have become infected with this medical condition after eating raw shellfish. This medical condition cannot directly spread from one individual to another. For this reason, patients who have been diagnosed with this medical condition do not have to be isolated.

The following recommendations should be taken into consideration, especially by those who travel to areas in which an important part of the population is infected by this disorder: one must not drink water that has not been boiled or treated with iodine or chlorine, and so on; other beverages that can be safely consumed include coffee, tea and other products that have been made with boiled water; the use of bottled beverages with no ice should also be safe; one must not consume any aliment that has not been thoroughly cooked; it is strictly forbidden by the rules of all Cholera Prophylaxis guide-books to consume uncooked vegetables or fruits; you should not purchase beverages and / or fruits from street merchants. As this infectious medical condition can be easily transmitted through food or water which has become contaminated with faeces, any part of the world which presents inadequate hygiene, food safety, sanitation, water supply, and so on may be affected by an epidemic of this disorder. As the implementation of a safer and of a more hygienic environment is impossible in the case of many impoverished countries, the best way to diminish one’s risks of developing this disorder is to follow the steps of Cholera Prophylaxis. Although a prophylactic vaccine does exist, its effects are barely satisfactory.

Cholera Treatment

This medical condition can be easily treated with the immediate replacement of the fluids that are lost by the human organism through vomiting, diarrhea and the other symptoms of this infectious disorder. In most cases, this therapy is quite effective. Certain medication treatments have also been successfully prescribed to individuals who are suffering from Cholera. One of the most common medication therapies involves the use of an oral rehydration solution (this is actually a mixture of salts and sugar that has to be mixed with water and consumed in very large amounts). Such a medical remedy is used in the entire world to treat symptoms similar to diarrhea. If the patient experiences a severe form of Cholera, he or she may be administered intravenous fluids. If the individual receives an appropriate therapy in due time, his or her chances of survival are of 99%. Although the use of antibiotics is known to diminish the severity of the disorder and to shorten its course, they are not usefull if they are not accompanied by adequate rehydration.