Page 22 - The Regent Digest Volume 12 Issue 39
P. 22

Medical Corner                                                                                                      TREATMENT AND PREVENTION







                                                                                                                               There is a vaccine for cholera. Both the CDC and                     Researchers have
                                                                                                                               the  World  Health  Organization  have  specific
                                                                                                                               guidelines for who should be given this vaccine.                  estimated that each
                                                                                                                               You can protect yourself and your family by us-
         CHOLERA                                                                                                               has been chemically disinfected, or bottled wa-               million cases of cholera,
                                                                                                                                                                                              year there are 1.3 to 4.0
                                                                                                                               ing only water that has been boiled, water that


                                                                                                                               ter. Be sure to use bottled, boiled, or chemically
                                                                                                                               disinfected water for the following purposes:

           Here’s all you need                                                                                                      •  Making ice                                              and 21 000 to 143 000

                                                                                                                                    •  Brushing your teeth
                          to know                                                                                                   •  Washing your face and hands                             deaths worldwide due

                                                                                                                                    •  Washing dishes and utensils that you use
                                                                                                                                       to eat or prepare food                                               to cholera
                                                                                                                                    •  Washing fruits and vegetables
                                                                                                                                    •  When done using the toilet

                                                                    Cholera can usually be anticipated and
                                                                    stopped with proper measures in place.
                                                                                                                                                                                                 While antibiotics are not included in
                  holera is a sudden intestinal infec-              By providing clean water, and sanitation                    To purify your own water, either boil it for one
                                                                                                                                                                                                 emergency treatment for mild cases as
                  tion caused by consuming contam-                  facilities,  and  promoting  good  hygiene                  minute (or 3 minutes at higher elevations) or
                                                                                                                                                                                                 they kill the bacteria, they can help re-
          Cinated food or water containing the                      practices  consistently  for  everyone,  the                filter it and add a commercial chemical disin-
                                                                                                                                                                                                 duce the duration of diarrhoea by 50%
           Vibrio cholerae bacterium. It continues                  disease can eventually be eradicated.                       fectant. Also, steer clear of raw foods such as
                                                                                                                                                                                                 and lower the excretion of the bacteria,
           to pose a significant risk to public health                                                                          unwashed fruits and vegetables and unpasteur-                    which in turn helps to prevent the dis-
           globally, highlighting disparities and so-               WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF                          ised milk and dairy products.                                    ease from spreading.
           cietal shortcomings. Studies suggest that                CHOLERA
           annually, there are between 1.3 to 4.0 mil-                • Diarrhoea and vomiting                                  If you experience intense, watery diarrhoea and
           lion cases of cholera and 21,000 to 143,000                • Rapid heart rate                                        vomiting, especially after consuming raw shell-
           deaths worldwide as a result of the dis-                   • Loss of skin elasticity (the ability to                 fish or travelling to a cholera-prone region, seek
           ease.                                                       return  to original  position quickly  if                immediate medical attention. Cholera can be
                                                                       pinched)                                                 effectively treated, but rapid dehydration under-

           Cholera is an extremely serious disease                    • Dry mucous membranes, including the                     scores the necessity of promptly receiving chol-
           that can cause severe acute watery di-                      inside of the mouth, throat, nose, and                   era treatment.
           arrhoea with severe dehydration. It takes                   eyelids
           between 12 hours and 5 days for a person                   • Low blood pressure                                      The cornerstone of cholera treatment is main-                                        Ajetunmobi Mercy
           to show symptoms after consuming con-                      • Muscle cramps                                           taining hydration. Depending on the severity                                           Oduduwa Hostel
           taminated food or water. Cholera affects                   • If not treated, dehydration can lead to                 of the diarrhoea, therapy will involve providing
           both children and adults and can kill with-                 shock and death in a matter of hours                     fluids orally or through IV to replace those that                                          Nurse/Matron

           in hours if untreated.                                      CHOLERA                                                  have been lost.





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