Symptoms and Signs of Cholera Disease - Essay Example

Cholera Disease Cholera is a disease caused by V. cholerae. Its history repeats itself because of the contaminationof foods and water that are consumed by people. In connection to this, the paper expounds on the symptoms and signs of cholera, its causes and how it is transmitted. It also details on the history of Cholera, its victims, diagnosis and treatment of cholera, and prevention of the disease. Cholera is an acute infectious disease that results from disease-causing bacteria referred to as Vibrio cholera (Hays, 2009). It is associated with a production of painless watery diarrhea that can result to dehydration in humans. Severe dehydration as a result of this disease can lead to loss of life. Most people who suffer from this disease might have ingested the disease-causing organisms via food or water contaminated with V. cholerae. Although its symptoms are mild, healthy individuals develop profuse diarrhea within a day or a week after ingesting the disease-causing bacteria. Symptoms and signs of cholera The symptoms and signs of cholera are depicted by a watery diarrhea that often contains traces of whitish material that are approximately the size of rice grains. As a result of this, the diarrhea is also referred to as “rice-water stool”. The diarrhea from a person suffering from this disease smells fishy. The volume of diarrhea produced by a victim of this disease can be enormous; the volumes may range from 10 to 18 liters in a span of 24 hours for an adult weighing 70 kg (“Cholera - Vibrio cholerae infection”, 2013). Apart from watery diarrhea, persons suffering from this disease may also portray the following symptoms and signs: vomiting, rapid heart rate as well as loss of skin elasticity. It may also result to dry mucous membranes, low blood pressure and muscle cramps. The symptoms and signs of the disease may also include thirst feelings in addition to restlessness. Individuals that portray these symptoms are occasionally advised to seek immediate hydration in order to prevent the symptoms from advancing because they may result to severe cholera (Adler, 2013). Severe cholera often results to severe dehydration which may lead to acute renal failure, coma, as well as severe electrolyte imbalances. If untreated, severe dehydration results to shock and death. Severe dehydration is often experienced four to eight hours after the patient has passed the first liquid stool. It leads to death in 18 hours or few days if it remains untreated. The outbreak of this disease in underdeveloped countries can result to the mortality rate of about 50 to 60%. Cause of cholera and how it is transmitted As introduced above, cholera is caused by a bacterium referred to as V. cholera. V. cholera is Gram staining negative, and it moves within the body cells and tissues via aid of its flagellum. The bacterium has also pili for attachment on the tissues of the host. Although various types of V. cholera can result to cholera, the most severe symptoms of cholera result from V. cholerae belonging to O, O1, and O139 groups (Nair & Takeda, 2014). The toxin produced by V. cholerae from O group is an enterotoxin consisting of two subunits, A and B. The information for the production of these subunits is encoded on plasmids. The movement of these enterotoxins via aid of pilus encoded in other plasmids to human cells results to extraction of water from the body in the form of a diarrhea fluid. The bacteria causing this disease are often introduced into the body via contaminated water. They can also be introduced into a human’s body system through consumption of contaminated food such as seafood, raw oysters. History of Cholera V. cholerae was first identified as the cause of cholera in 1854 by Filippo Pacini (Nair & Takeda, 2014). Since 1800s, there have occurred seven cholera pandemics. This disease has affected countries from different parts of the world include developed countries such as America and England. For instance, “the disease affected approximately 35, 000 people in Paris in the year 1832, and 17, 000 people in Hamburg in 1892” (Hays, 2009, p. 136). The history of this disease repeats itself because the spreading agents, food and water, easily and rapidly transmit the bacteria causing this disease to many people. According to Hays, cholera outbreaks will prevail until safe water as well as food is provided to humans (Hays, 2009). Victims of cholera Every person that consumes foods and drinks that are not treated against cholera is at risk for this disease, cholera. However, the outbreak of this disease is rampant when there are disasters as well as other reasons that contribute to the loss of observance of hygiene and sanitary facilities such as toilets. For instance, Haiti is one of the countries that lived for over 50 years without any outbreak of cholera. However, the loss of sanitary facilities and destruction of food and water treatment facilities as a result of a massive earthquake led to over 530,000 people being diagnosed with cholera which led to loss of over 7,000 people (“Cholera - Vibrio cholerae infection”, 2013). Although cholera spreads very fast, it takes approximately 100 million bacteria to pass on cholera to a healthy person. As a result of this, person to person transmission is uncommon. The immune systems of people vary significantly. As a result of this, it is evident that the disease affects people differently. For instance, malnourished or immune-suppressed persons are prone to get the disease easily. Children of the age of 4 and below prove to be more susceptible to the disease than older children. Patients with blood group O have also been found to be twice more likely to get the disease than people with other types of blood groups. Additionally, people who take antacids occasionally also get this disease because the antacids kill diverse types of bacteria, including V. cholerae. Diagnosis and treatment of cholera Diagnosis of cholera involves close examination of the history of the patient as well as identification of rice-water diarrhea. The watery diarrhea is often populated with motile, comma-shaped bacteria that can be seen via aid of a microscope. The treatment for cholera involves rehydration with oral rehydration salts (ORS). ORS contains glucose and electrolytes that are lost through diarrhea. Prevention of cholera Despite cholera being a very deadly disease, it can be prevented. Many developed countries have managed to reduce its occurrence to zero level; this is a result of observance of hygiene as well as ensuring the water consumed by people is well treated. Additionally, good cooking methods as well as covering of foods before consumption contribute immensely towards reducing the occurrence of this disease (“Cholera - Vibrio cholerae infection”, 2013). It is also advisable for human wastes to be disposed of safely into pit latrines in order to reduce the spread of the bacteria involved in causing cholera. In conclusion, cholera is a disease that is caused by V. cholerae bacterium. It is associated with consumption of contaminated foods as well drinking untreated water. Its symptoms mainly involve passing of a watery stool. The bacterium causing this disease is flagellated and is a comma like in appearance. Prevention of this disease involves observation of hygiene, appropriate disposal of feces, consumption of uncontaminated foods, and drinking treated water. References “Cholera - Vibrio cholerae infection”. (2013). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/cholera/general/ Adler, R. (2013). Cholera in Detroit: A History. New York: McFarland. Hays, J. (2009). The Burdens of Disease: Epidemics and Human Response in Western History. New York: Rutgers University Press. Nair, B. & Takeda, Y. (2014). Cholera Outbreaks. New York: Springer. Read More