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| Nigeria: how to prevent cholera out break |
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 THERE has been some cholera outbreak which has led to loss of lives in some parts of the country in the last couple of weeks, specifically in Osun, Oyo and Nasarawa states while Lagos state has adopted proactive measures to forestall such out break in the ever busy cosmopolitan state. However, the high mortality rate that are most times associated with cholera outbreak especially in the developing countries like Nigeria with inadequate health facilities and poor emergency response, cholera can be effectively prevented, controlled and managed if the people are exposed to the right information concerning the communicable disease. Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission is primarily through consuming contaminated drinking water or food. The severity of the diarrhea and vomiting can lead to rapid dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. Primary treatment is with oral rehydration solution. That is why in most cases, cholera can be successfully treated with Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT),which is highly effective, safe, and simple to administer. According to experts, preparing the therapy only requires one teaspoon full of salt with five cubes of sugar and two 35cl bottles of boiled water. In severe cases with significant dehydration, intravenous rehydration may be necessary. However, Antibiotics are also beneficial in those with severe disease. Nigeria is not the only country affected by cholera as available records have shown that globally, 3-5 million people are affected with over 100,000-130,000 death profile. Though cholera have various symptoms and signs, there are still peculiar symptoms associated with the infectious disease. - primary symptoms of cholera The primary symptoms of cholera are profuse painless diarrhea and vomiting of clear fluid. These symptoms usually start suddenly, one to five days after ingestion of the bacteria. The diarrhea is frequently described as "rice water" in nature and may have a fishy odor. An untreated person with cholera may produce 10-20 liters of diarrhea a day with fatal results. For every symptomatic person, there are 3 to 100 people who get the infection but remain asymptomatic. If the severe diarrhea and vomiting are not aggressively treated, it can within hours, result in life-threatening dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. The typical symptoms of dehydration include low blood pressure, poor skin turgor (wrinkled hands), sunken eyes, and a rapid pulse. Vibrio cholerae, is the bacterium that causes cholera. This bacterium can, however, live naturally in any environment that is why transmission is primarily due to the fecal contamination of food and water due to poor sanitation. In other words, cholera is transmitted by either contaminated food or water. In the developed world, seafood is the usual cause, while in the developing world it is more often water . Cholera has been found in only two other animal populations: shellfish and plankton. Although cholera may be life-threatening, prevention of the disease is normally straightforward if proper sanitation practices are followed. In developed countries, due to nearly universal advanced water treatment and sanitation practices, cholera is no longer a major health threat. The last major outbreak of cholera in the United States occurred in 1910-1911. Effective sanitation practices, if instituted and adhered to in time, are usually sufficient to stop an epidemic. There are several points along the cholera transmission path at which its spread may be halted: - Sterilization: Proper disposal and treatment of infected fecal waste water produced by cholera victims and all contaminated materials such as clothing, bedding, is essential. All materials that come in contact with cholera patients should be sterilized by washing in hot water, using chlorine bleach if possible. Hands that touch cholera patients or their clothing, bedding should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected with chlorinated water or other effective antimicrobial agents. - Sewage: Antibacterial treatment of general sewage by chlorine, ozone, ultraviolet light or other effective treatment before it enters the waterways or underground water supplies helps prevent undiagnosed patients from inadvertently spreading the disease. - Sources: Warnings about possible cholera contamination should be posted around contaminated water sources with directions on how to decontaminate the water (boiling, chlorination ) for possible use. - Water purification: All water used for drinking, washing, or cooking should be sterilized by either boiling, chlorination, ozone water treatment, ultraviolet light sterilization such as by solar water disinfection or through antimicrobial filtration in any area where cholera may be present. Chlorination and boiling are often the least expensive and most effective means of halting transmission. Public health education and adherence to appropriate sanitation practices are of primary importance to help prevent and control transmission of cholera and other diseases. Surveillance and prompt reporting allow for containing cholera epidemics rapidly. Cholera exists as a seasonal disease in many endemic countries, occurring annually mostly during rainy seasons. Surveillance systems can provide early alerts to outbreaks, therefore leading to coordinated response and assist in preparation of preparedness plans. (Source: allafrica)   Socialize this Subscribe to our RSS feed to stay in touch and receive all of TT updates right in your feed reader
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