Cholera is an intestinal infection serious and highly contagious. The main symptoms are vomiting and diarrhea leading to extreme dehydration. In severe cases and if left untreated, death occurs within 24 to 48 hours.
Untreated water and direct contact of food with feces of a sick person are two important factors in the transmission of cholera. Flies can spread vibrios. The vibrio cholera germs (bacilli) rod-shaped bacteria, colonize the small intestine. The potatoes, asparagus and eggs may be contaminated.
To prevent cholera careful hygiene, water purification, to avoid contamination by sewage and to eliminate flies. There is a cholera vaccine that provides protection from 6 months to 1 year, but it protects only 50% of vaccinees. In 1999, the OSM has identified more than 220 000 cases of cholera worldwide.
22 avril 2010
| The text above is for information purposes only. Only a doctor can diagnose a disease. No treatment (medication or scheme) should be undertaken without consulting a health professional. |