Treatment of cholera
By jasjon
@jasjon (252)
Philippines
December 21, 2006 8:42pm CST
Although cholera can be life-threatening, it's easily prevented and treated. Successful treatment requires the replacing of fluids and salts lost through diarrhea.
Depending on the condition of the patient, a pre-packed mixture of sugar and salts can be mixed with water and drunk in large quantities. If the patient is too weak to drink, fluids can be given intravenously. With prompt dehydration, less than 1% of cholera patients die.
Although antibiotics may shorten the duration of the symptoms, they're not as important as dehydration. Dehydration is the most important part of the treatment regime. For really ill patients, tetracycline used to be the drug of choice
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2 responses
@paulnet (748)
• India
30 Mar 07
It is caused by a specific bacterium, Vibrio cholerae. When an adequate quantity of the bacteria has passed into the stomach in food they accumulate and begin to produce toxins in the body. The cholera toxin has the unpleasant ability to affect the cells of the gastrointestinal tract so that the affected person doesn't just get ordinary diarrhoea, but also starts to lose very large quantities of fluid. It is this fluid loss that can be very serious. Here are some tips:-
Take only boiled water or water that has been sterilised or treated in another way. Hot coffee and tea, fizzy water are usually safe enough to drink.
Boil unpasteurised milk before you take it.
Avoid ice cubes in drinks.
Food must be properly prepared and still hot when it is served.
Avoid raw fruit and vegetables, unless you peel it yourself. n' also raw fish and shellfish.
