Is Cholera a disease to be feared? Let's find out for sure

Have you suddenly started having severe stomach pain? Is your stool colorless and watery? Are you also feeling weak and vomiting? At times like these, we often think that it is just a normal stomach ache. But these can sometimes be symptoms of a more serious condition called Cholera . Don't be afraid when you hear this name. If you are properly informed and get treatment on time, this is a completely curable disease. So today, we will talk about cholera in a very simple way, that is, how it occurs, symptoms, prevention methods, and treatment.

What exactly is Cholera?

Simply put, cholera is a bacterial infection that occurs in our intestines. When the bacteria that cause it enter our bodies, it causes severe, watery diarrhea. This is not like a normal diarrhea. Within a few hours, a large amount of water and electrolytes , which are salts that are essential for our body to function, are lost.

This loss of fluid from the body, which we call dehydration , is a very dangerous condition. If not treated in time, the complications caused by this dehydration can be fatal.

Cholera is usually spread in areas without clean drinking water and proper sanitation. It can also be contracted from eating undercooked seafood, especially shellfish. In our country, there is a risk of this disease spreading after natural disasters such as floods and landslides.

What are the symptoms of cholera?

The main and most dangerous symptom of cholera is severe, watery diarrhea. There is a special feature of this. Doctors call it “rice water stool.” That is, the stool is not very colorless, but rather a white liquid. This diarrhea can cause life-threatening dehydration within a few hours.

In addition to this main symptom, there may be several other symptoms. See the table below.

But there's something else important here. Many people who are infected with cholera don't show any symptoms . But they can have the bacteria in their stool. So they can spread the disease to others.

How does cholera develop? What is the cause?

Cholera is caused by a bacterium called Vibrio cholerae . This bacterium prefers to live in warm, slightly salty water.

How do we get cholera?

This bacteria enters our bodies through the water we drink or the food we eat.

• Drinking dirty water: The main cause is drinking water contaminated with the feces of someone with cholera.
• Food processed with dirty water: Washing vegetables and fruits with this type of water or cooking food.
• Raw seafood: This bacteria can be found in animals like oysters and crabs that are eaten without cooking them properly.

Once this bacteria enters our stomach, it attaches itself to the walls of our small intestine. From there, this bacteria produces a toxin. That toxin stimulates the cells in our intestines and causes them to release large amounts of water and salts into the intestines. That's why we get severe diarrhea.

Cholera is not a disease that spreads from person to person through sneezing or coughing like the common cold. It is transmitted indirectly. That is, it spreads among the community through a water source contaminated by the feces of a patient.

Who is most at risk of developing cholera?

Anyone without access to clean water and sanitation can get cholera, but some people are at a higher risk.

• People with blood type O: Research has found that people with type O blood are more likely to have more severe symptoms if they contract cholera than people with other blood types.
• People with low stomach acid: The acid in our stomach is a protector that kills many germs that enter. People who take long-term medications for gastritis (e.g., Proton Pump Inhibitors like Omeprazole) have low stomach acid. Therefore, they have less chance of surviving this bacteria.
• People with H. pylori infection: This is also a bacterial infection that occurs in the stomach.
• People who have had their stomach surgically removed (Gastrectomy).

Diagnosis and treatment of the disease

How does the doctor diagnose the disease?

When you go to the hospital, the doctor will ask about your symptoms. Then, if cholera is suspected, a stool sample will be sent for testing to confirm the diagnosis. This can detect the presence of the bacteria `Vibrio cholerae`. Blood tests may also be done to check for dehydration and salt levels.

What are you doing as treatment?

The main and most important thing when treating cholera is to quickly replace the fluids and salts that have been lost from the body.

1. Oral Rehydration: If the patient is conscious and not vomiting, the first thing to do is to give oral rehydration solution (ORS) . In our country, we also call this "Jeevani". It contains the right amount of water, sugar, and salts needed by the body.

2. Intravenous Fluids: If the patient is severely dehydrated, unconscious, or continues to vomit, oral fluids cannot be given. In such cases, saline (IV fluids) are given through a vein.

3. Antibiotics: If the doctor decides it is necessary, antibiotics such as Doxycycline and Azithromycin will be prescribed. These medications can reduce the duration of diarrhea and the elimination of bacteria from the body.

4. Zinc supplements: Giving zinc to children under 5 years of age has been found to reduce the severity and duration of diarrhea.

When should we go to the ETU (Emergency Treatment Unit) immediately?

Diarrhea can cause dehydration very quickly. So if you or someone in your family has any of the following symptoms, don't waste time and go to a hospital emergency room immediately.

How to protect yourself from cholera? Prevention methods

Cholera is a disease that we can completely prevent. We don't need to do anything special to prevent it. It's enough to make some changes to our daily habits.

What should we do personally?

• Drinking clean water: Always drink boiled or bottled water. If you have any doubts about the purity of the water, do not drink it.
• Wash your hands often: Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and clean water. This is especially important before eating, preparing food, and after using the bathroom.
• Cook food thoroughly: Cook all meat, fish, and vegetables thoroughly. Especially cook seafood (mussels, shrimp, squid) until well cooked.
• Be careful with raw foods: Wash raw foods like salads thoroughly with clean water. Be careful with these items when eating outside.
• Washing Fruit: Wash fruit thoroughly before eating. If possible, remove the skin before eating.
• Keeping toilets clean: Using proper toilet facilities and keeping them clean is very important to prevent the spread of disease.

If you are going to a dangerous area...

If you are traveling to an area where cholera is common or live in an area at risk due to conditions such as flooding, there are a few other things you can do in addition to the above.

• Cholera Vaccine: There is an oral vaccine to protect against cholera. If you are traveling to an at-risk area, talk to your doctor about this and get advice.
• Bottled water: Always use bottled water. It's safer to use bottled water even for brushing your teeth.
• Water purification tablets: Keep things like chlorine tablets nearby. These can be added to water to kill germs.

Cholera, diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, Vibrio cholerae, life, vomiting, infectious diseases