Top 5 Deadliest Diseases- Cholera

With over 20 million deaths, Cholera is ranked the fifth deadliest disease. Cholera is diarrheal disease caused by consuming the food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Cholera is most commonly found in parts of the world with inadequate water and sanitation systems, such as Latin America, parts of Africa, and South and Southeast Asia.

There have been a total of 7 pandemics, with the first beginning in 1817 in India and spreading to other regions of the world such as the Middle East and Southeast Asia, and the last beginning in 1961 in Indonesia and spreading to India, Russia, and North Africa.

Common Symptoms of Cholera include:

• Muscle Cramps
• Diarrhea
• Upset Stomach/vomiting
• Dehydration

Symptoms appear 12 hours to 5 days after the infection.

Be aware of signs of severe dehydration, including:

• Low blood sugar
• Fever and chills
• Changes in breathing patterns
• • Altered mental state
• Kidney failure
• Loss of consciousness

Modes of Transmission

Cholera spreads primarily through fecal-oral routes, primarily through contaminated water and food. Key modes of transmissions include:

• Contaminated Water: Drinking or using water that has been polluted with cholera-infected feces is the most common route of transmission. Outbreaks often occur in settings with unsafe water or inadequate sewage treatment.
• Contaminated food: Eating food in unsanitary conditions or or irrigated with contaminated water can spread cholera. Common culprits include raw or undercooked seafood from cholera-affected waters, produce washed with untreated water, or foods and beverages contaminated during preparation

Unlike many infectious diseases, cholera is not typically spread through casual person-to-person contact. Direct transmission is rare because the bacteria must be ingested to cause the illness.

Treatment

The main treatment for Cholera is rehydration therapy such as drinking plenty of fluids or getting intravenous fluids, which are speculated liquids that are injected into your veins to prevent/treat dehydration and keep you hydrated. Another treatment is taking antibiotics such as Azithromycin, Doxycycline, and Tetracycline.

SOURCES

• https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cholera
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMhttps://www.cdc.gov/cholera/signs-symptoms/index.html C4154910/
• https://www.cdc.gov/cholera/signs-symptoms/index.html
• https://www.cdc.gov/cholera/treatment/index.html
• https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16636-cholera