Cholera Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Understanding
Cholera is a disease caused by infection of the small intestine caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. This disease usually infects through contaminated food or drink.
The Vibrio cholera bacteria release toxins in the intestines which trigger diarrhea accompanied by vomiting. If not treated immediately, you can lose a lot of fluids and become dehydrated. Even cholera can be life-threatening.
Symptoms
Symptoms of cholera are not immediately felt but begin within 1-3 days after infection with the bacteria. Symptoms vary, ranging from mild diarrhea to severe diarrhea which can be fatal. In some cases, infected people do not show any symptoms.
Usually, the disease begins with watery diarrhea like water that occurs suddenly, without pain and vomiting. In severe cases, diarrhea causes up to 1 liter of fluid loss in 1 hour.
Excessive loss of fluids and salt will cause you to become dehydrated along with intense thirst. Not only that, you also experience muscle cramps, decreased urine production, so that your body feels very weak.
When dehydrated, the amount of fluid lost from the tissues can cause the eyes to become sunken and the skin of the fingers to wrinkle. If not treated immediately, blood volume imbalance and increased salt concentration can cause kidney failure, shock, to coma.
Cholera symptoms usually disappear within 3-6 days. Most sufferers will be free of these bacteria within 2 weeks.
Reason
The cause of cholera is the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The bacteria produce toxins that cause the small intestine to release large amounts of fluid that is rich in salts and minerals. Because these bacteria are sensitive to stomach acid, people with a lack of stomach acid tend to suffer from this disease.
Cholera can also be spread by drinking water, seafood or other food contaminated with the feces of an infected person
Diagnosis
The doctor will diagnose cholera through a series of interviews based on the symptoms. To strengthen the diagnosis, apart from a physical examination, the doctor also examines rectal swabs or fresh stool samples.
Because this disease can be dangerous, it is recommended to consult a doctor as soon as possible if you experience symptoms of cholera.
Complications
Losing large amounts of fluid can be fatal. You could become severely dehydrated and go into shock as a result. In addition, there are several complications that can also occur, such as:
- hypokalemia. This is a condition where you experience a potassium deficiency. The result can be impaired heart and nerve function.
- hypoglycemia. Sometimes when cholera sufferers tend not to want to eat. As a result, blood sugar levels decrease and could even be too low.
- Kidney failure. This occurs due to loss of kidney function which makes it excrete large amounts of fluids and electrolytes.
Treatment
The first treatment if you have cholera is to increase your fluid intake to prevent dehydration due to cholera. It is very important to quickly replace lost fluids, salts, and minerals from the body. For patients who are severely dehydrated, fluids will be given through an IV.
Meanwhile, in areas affected by cholera outbreaks, fluids are sometimes given through a tube that is inserted through the nose to the stomach. This aims to speed up fluid turnover.
If dehydration has been overcome, the next goal of treatment is to replace the amount of fluid lost through diarrhea and vomiting. Initial treatment with tetracycline or other antibiotics kills the bacteria and usually stops the diarrhea within 48 hours.
If you are in a resistant area with an outbreak of cholera or Vibrio cholerae, furozolidone can be used. Solid food can be given after vomiting has stopped and appetite has returned.
Prevention
To prevent cholera, it is important to carry out purification of water reserves and disposal of feces that meet standards. In addition, drink water that has been boiled first. Avoid consuming raw vegetables or fish and shellfish that are not thoroughly cooked.
Giving tetracycline antibiotics can also help prevent disease in people who share furniture with cholera sufferers. Meanwhile, cholera vaccination is not really recommended because the protection provided is not comprehensive.