Cholera: symptoms, causes, treatment, etc. & bull; hello healthy

Definition

What is cholera?

Cholera is a serious infectious disease that irritates the digestive system and can cause severe diarrhea and dehydration. Cholera transmission generally comes from water contaminated with bacteriaVibrio cholerae.

In some places, especially developing countries, this bacteria can be found in contaminated drinking water or in seafood that is not cooked until it is cooked.

Although in some cases cholera does not show severe symptoms at the beginning of transmission, this disease is dangerous and can be fatal if you do not get medical treatment as soon as possible.

How common is cholera?

Cholera is a disease that has existed since ancient times. When the sewerage and sanitation systems were still very poor, the disease spread to almost all parts of the world.

Along with the development of technology and improved sanitation, cholera cases decreased dramatically.

However, that does not mean that cholera is rare. In countries with poor sanitation, densely populated areas, war zones, and areas where hunger is rife, this disease is still very common.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are about 1.3 - 4 million cases of cholera worldwide. Even WHO data records that the death rate from cholera ranges from 21,000 - 143,000 each year.

The locations where cholera cases are still found are developing countries, from countries in Africa and Latin America, to India and even Indonesia.

In addition, the incidence rate of this disease is 2 times more common in people with blood type O than in other blood groups.

Signs and symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of cholera?

In fact, most people who are infected with the cholera bacteria don't get sick right away. Some never even know that they have been infected, because they don't feel any symptoms.

Bacteria Vibrio cholerae will stay in the feces of an infected person for 7-14 days. Therefore, even if they do not feel any symptoms, sufferers can still transmit the disease to other people through contaminated feces.

Only about 1 in 10 infected people develop signs and symptoms. Usually symptoms will appear within 24 - 48 hours of exposure to bacteria. Here is a list of the symptoms.

1. Diarrhea

Diarrhea is the most common symptom found in this disease. The stool that comes out due to this disease is generally more than other diarrhea.

Patients with cholera will pass about 1 liter of fluid during bowel movements in one hour. This is because of the large volume of fluid released during diarrhea, the patient will usually feel the urge to defecate that is not controlled.

The stool that is excreted by patients with this infection usually has certain characteristics, namely a pale white and odorless discharge. Sometimes, the liquid resembles rice washing water.

2. Nausea and vomiting

Although not always present, nausea and vomiting are also common symptoms of cholera.

Nausea and vomiting usually occur in the early stages of bacterial transmission. Patients with this disease will feel nauseous continuously and find it difficult to hold back the feeling of wanting to vomit for several hours.

3. Dehydration

Prolonged conditions of diarrhea and vomiting cause the body to lose a lot of fluids. This can cause the body to become dehydrated. People exposed to cholera will lose about 20 liters of fluid a day.

Not only dehydration, sufferers also have the potential to experience shock and several other symptoms, such as low blood pressure, dizziness, and a fast heartbeat.

4. Electrolyte imbalance

The body that loses too much fluid will experience a decrease in electrolyte levels.

This can result in symptoms such as muscle cramps due to decreased levels of sodium, chloride and potassium in the body as well as shock due to sudden drop in blood pressure.

5.Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)

In children with cholera, they are usually prone to low blood sugar or hypoglycemia due to fluid loss. The characteristics that are often found are:

lose consciousness,
seizures, up to
coma.

There may be signs and symptoms not listed above. If you have concerns about a particular symptom, consult your doctor.

When to see a doctor?

As already mentioned, cases of this disease are often found in several countries with inadequate sanitation systems.

Therefore, if you experience severe diarrhea after visiting an area where there are many cases of this disease, you should see a doctor as soon as possible.

When suffering from prolonged diarrhea accompanied by vomiting, seek treatment immediately before becoming severely dehydrated. If cholera is treated quickly, it is likely that you will recover from the disease sooner.

Cause

The main pathogen that causes cholera infection is bacteria Vibrio cholerae. However, what makes this disease dangerous and can be life threatening is the presence of a poison called CTX or cholera toxin.

CTX is produced by bacteria V. cholerae in the small intestine. These toxins will stick to the intestinal wall, which in turn disrupts the normal flow of sodium and chloride.

Disruption of the flow of the two electrolytes can encourage the body to release a lot of fluids. This results in diarrhea and the body loses a lot of fluids and electrolytes in a short time.

Bacteria V. cholerae commonly found in contaminated water. In addition, this type of bacteria also lodges in food ingredients that have not been cooked completely, such as raw shellfish, fruits, and vegetables.

Cholera bacteria have two distinct life cycles, one in the environment and one in the human body. Here's the explanation.

Bacteria in the environment

Bacteria V. cholerae many found naturally in coastal waters and attached to small animals called copepods.

Animals contaminated with these bacteria will spread to the waters in various places and thrive in warm areas.

These bacteria also usually will swim to places where there are certain types of algae, which are commonly found in factory waste disposal.

Bacteria in the human body

After the bacteria enter the body, generally the symptoms of the disease are not immediately visible. However, the bacteria will still stick to the stool.

If clean water or food channels are exposed to feces that are contaminated with these bacteria, bacteria will grow rapidly.

Meanwhile, the food sources or places where the infection develops most often are as follows.

1. Water level

Cholera-causing bacteria can stay in water for a long time, and become static or inactive. Usually, water contaminated with bacteria V. cholerae is water in public areas and areas with poor sanitation systems.

2. Seafood

Eating raw or undercooked seafood, especially shellfish, can increase your potential for bacterial exposure V. cholerae.

3. Fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables that have not been washed or peeled can be a breeding ground for cholera bacteria, especially in areas where hygiene is poorly maintained.

In developing countries, fertilizers that do not contain compost or irrigation water that is contaminated with sewage can affect crop yields.

4. Whole Grains

In countries with high cases of cholera, grain-based foods such as rice or corn can harbor bacteria.

After the rice is cooked and allowed to stand for several hours at room temperature, it can become a place for the bacteria that causes cholera to grow.

Risk factors

Cholera is a disease that can affect people of all ages and races. However, there are several factors that can increase a person's risk of developing this disease.

These are various risk factors that can increase the risk of disease.

1. Poor sanitary conditions

Cholera will thrive in places with poor sanitation, including a minimal supply of clean water.

This condition is often found in refugee camps, developing or underdeveloped countries, areas of war, and places affected by natural disasters or disease outbreaks.

2. Lack or absence of stomach acid

Bacteria V. cholerae will not be able to survive in an environment with high acidity. Therefore, stomach acid in the human body can be the main shield against cholera infection.

However, some people with low stomach acid levels, including children, the elderly, and people who are taking certain medications. Those who are mentioned are more susceptible to this infection.

3. Live at home with the sufferer

If you live with someone who has this disease, you are likely to catch the bacteria V. cholerae the higher it is.

4. Have blood type O

People with blood type O are twice as susceptible to cholera bacteria than people with other blood types. However, until now there has been no research that has been able to explain the exact cause of this phenomenon.

5. Eat seafood raw or undercooked

Although these bacteria are no longer endemic to most parts of the world, they can still be found in several points of water. Therefore, your risk of developing this disease after eating seafood raw still high.

Diagnosis and treatment

How is cholera diagnosed?

Although severe signs and symptoms may be evident in endemic areas, the only way to diagnose the disease is to collect a stool sample (test dipstick) and examine the presence of bacteria.

Test dipstick Rapid cholera is now available, so health care providers in remote areas can detect the disease early.

This can certainly reduce the number of deaths before the outbreak spreads, and have an impact on health center interventions in epidemic control.

How is the treatment?

Cholera requires immediate treatment because this disease can cause death within hours.

1. Rehydration

The goal of this treatment is to replace the fluids and electrolytes that are lost from the body. The trick is to use a simple rehydration solution in the form of ORS.

ORS is considered very effective in restoring body fluids, and can even reduce the death rate from cholera significantly.

2. Infusion fluids

If oral rehydration with ORS is still not working well, cholera patients can get fluid intake through injection or infusion methods.

3, Antibiotics

Although antibiotics are not considered the main treatment for cholera, several types of antibiotics have the potential to reduce the symptoms of diarrhea in this disease.

The types of antibiotics that doctors usually prescribe are doxycycline (Monodox, Oracea, Vibramycin) or azithromycin (Zithromax, Zmax).

4. Zinc supplements

Reporting from the Mayo Clinic, several studies have shown that zinc can reduce and shorten the duration of diarrhea in children with cholera.

Prevention

Cholera may be rare if you live in a clean environment and have a good sanitation system.

However, there is still a chance that you may be infected with bacteria V. choleraeThis is especially true if you are traveling to a place with poor sanitation or a country with a high rate of cholera.

You can prevent this from happening by making a few changes as below.

1. Wash hands with soap and water

Washing your hands is the most important step in preventing bacterial infection, especially after using the toilet and before touching food.

Rub soap on wet hands for at least 15 seconds before rinsing. If soap and water aren't available, always have an alcohol-based hand sanitizer handy with you wherever you go.

2. Make sure to drink from clean water sources

Drink water that has been boiled or bottled water. When traveling, you can use bottled water to brush your teeth.

Avoid adding ice cubes to your drink, unless you boil and make the ice cubes yourself.

3. Eat thoroughly cooked foods

Cook your food properly and make sure there are no undercooked parts. Avoid buying roadside snacks. If you have to, make sure you can see the cooking process, and that the food is served hot.

4. Avoid consumption of raw fish

It is best if you avoid raw or undercooked fish, such as sushi and sashimi, especially if the cleanliness of cooking is not guaranteed.

5. Choose the right types of fruit and vegetables

Choose fruits and vegetables that you can peel yourself, such as bananas, oranges and avocados. Avoid salads and fruits that cannot be peeled, such as grapes and berries.