Page 23 - The Regent Digest Volume 12 Issue 39
P. 23

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.





 THE REGENT SECONDARY SCHOOL  22            THE REGENT SECONDARY SCHOOL                                           23
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