Cholera

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Cholera

Cholera is an infectious disease cause by bacteria that affects the

absorption of water in the small intestine. Sever cases cause violent

diarrhoea. It is the huge amount of fluid loss, which makes cholera so

dangerous. If the fluid is not replaced the body becomes dehydrated

and you could die within twenty-four hours. Treatment of cholera is

simple; replace the fluid lost with the right mixture of sugar and

salts. Water alone is not very well absorbed. If it is a server case

of the disease then admission to hospital may be suggest; they can

then replace the fluids straight into the bloodstream via a drip.

Cholera is caused by a bacterium called Vibrio Cholerea. The bacterium

begins to produce toxins when enough of the bacteria have accumulated

in the stomach. It is the toxin produced that causes the disease. The

toxin affects the cells of the gastrointestinal tract. This means the

affected person does not have ordinary diarrhoea but also losses a

large quantity of fluid along with it.

Cholera is transmitted through bacteria that are excreted in faeces.

If the bacterium comes in contact with drinking water, then it can

infect people. If you do not wash your hands after you have been to

the toilet then you can also pass the bacteria onto food; this also

can cause people to become infected.

Fish and shellfish that have been living in infected water can spread

cholera. Shellfish filter large amounts of water and concentrate the

bacteria. The cholera out break in Peru in 1998 was thought to be

related to contaminated algae; this is a very effective way for

Cholera to spread to coastlines.

Direct infection is a rar...

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...e of anti-biotic some people or infections become

immune to them. This makes the infection more difficult to treat and

also decreases the patient's chances of survival in some cases.

The cholera pathogen can be killed by using and anti-biotic, such as

doxycycline, but sometimes this is not necessary if you are able to

replace the fluids lost with salt water. Tuberculosis is treated with

a combination of anti-biotics. A combination is needed to prevent the

pathogen becoming resistant to it, which would cause serious

consequences to the patient. AIDS / HIV are also treated with a

combination of drugs. However anti-biotics do not kill of the

infection, mealy slow down its effects. If the anti-biotics are not

taken at the correct time of day then resistance to them may be

caused. Malaria is not treated with anti-biotics.

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