Cholera in Zimbabwe: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 06:09, 13 August 2009
Please excuse the mess!
we are currently actively working on this page, it will be up and running by August 28, 2009. Thank you for your patience :)
Introduction
Although Cholera no longer threatens developed countries that meet the minimum hygiene standards, it is still a big factor of those countries with large numbers of people living in unsanitary conditions. Cholera thrives in such places where there is no guaranteed access to clean water or sanitation, places such as Zimbabwe. (4) Cholera is caused by the microbe Vibrio cholerae and is characterized by it's sudden onset of acute watery diarrhea. The disease itself can be traced back at least 2000 years in literature, on the Indian subcontinent long before the arrival of the Europeans. There are currently many different views on the origin of it's name. Some claim that cholera stems from the two Greek words "chole" meaning bile, and "rein" meaning flow. Put together, one would get "the flow of bile". Other people suggest that it comes from the Greek word "cholera" which means "gutter", suggesting that the symptoms of cholera resemble the heavy flow of rain on rooftop gutters. (2)
Description of Cholera
Symptoms of Cholera include an onset of acute watery diarrhea which can lead to death by dehydration within hours if left untreated. This disease is transmitted easily through ingestion of food or water contaminated with the microbe, Vibrio cholerae. (1) Vibrio cholerae's short incubation time and ability to survive long periods of time in aquatic environments makes for easy break outs in unsanitary areas, including but not limited to, third world countries. (2) This makes the disease even more deadly, if cholera has the ability to kill a healthy adult within hours then people with lower immunity; for instance malnourished children or people living with AIDs are at an even higher risk of death. In addition to poor sanitation, some suggest that the spread of cholera is intensified by the passage of the bacteria through the human gut. It is thought that there is something about the environment of the intestinal environment that will change gene expression, preparing them for further collonization of new hosts, fueling epidemics. (3) Data for individuals who develop the symptoms show that 80% will show mild to moderate acute watery diarrhea while about 20% will experience severe and rapid dehydration due to water loss through severe diarrhea. (1)
Treatment
The first and foremost treatment that one should get is timely rehydration. 80% of the patients can be treated with the sole use of oral rehydration salts while the remaining 20% will reuire rehydration by intravenous fluids. Note that antibiotics are not as useful as rehydration but they are still used to shorten the time the microbe is in the gut. (1)
Description of the microbe
Include a link if there is an existing microbewiki page. Ex. Salmonella typhi
Transmission of disease
How is it transmitted? Is there a vector (animal/insect)?
Prevention
Why is this disease a problem in [name of country]
Do lifestyle/environment/economics/political issues play a role?
What is being done to address this problem
Include anything being done by the local government or groups as well as efforts by non-local groups.
What else could be done to address this problem
Are there solutions that could be successful but haven't been implemented due to political or economic reasons? Are there successful efforts in other countries? Are there reasons why these efforts may or may not be successful in the country you've focused on? etc. etc.
References
(1) WHO, "WHO position paper on Oral Rehydration Salts to reduce mortality from cholera"
(3) [http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/296/5574/1783a, Pennisi, Elizabeth, "Cholera Strengthened by Trip Through Gut" Science 7 June 2002: Vol. 296. no. 5574, pp. 1783 - 1784, DOI: 10.1126/science.296.5574.1783a]
Edited by [insert your names here!], students of Rachel Larsen
