{"id":1532,"date":"2020-05-11T13:15:04","date_gmt":"2020-05-11T13:15:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.blog.kayawell.com\/?p=1532"},"modified":"2025-09-10T10:29:06","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T10:29:06","slug":"cholera-symptoms-causes-risk-factors-and-prevention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/cholera-symptoms-causes-risk-factors-and-prevention","title":{"rendered":"Cholera- Symptoms, Causes, Risk Factors and Prevention"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Overview<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cholera is a\nbacterial disease that is commonly spread by contaminated water. Cholera causes\nextreme dehydration and diarrhoea. Left untreated, cholera can be lethal within\nhours, even in people who were previously healthy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Modern\ntreatment of sewage and water almost eliminated cholera in developed countries.\nBut cholera still exists in Africa, Southeast Asia and Haiti. When poverty, war\nor natural disasters cause people to live in crowded conditions without\nsufficient sanitation, the risk of a cholera outbreak is highest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cholera is\neasily treated. Death from severe dehydration can be prevented with a simple\nand inexpensive rehydration solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\r\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\r\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\r\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\r\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/cholera-symptoms-causes-risk-factors-and-prevention\/#Symptoms\" title=\"Symptoms\">Symptoms<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/cholera-symptoms-causes-risk-factors-and-prevention\/#Complications\" title=\"Complications\">Complications<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/cholera-symptoms-causes-risk-factors-and-prevention\/#Prevention\" title=\"Prevention\">Prevention<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/cholera-symptoms-causes-risk-factors-and-prevention\/#Cholera_vaccine\" title=\"Cholera vaccine\">Cholera vaccine<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Symptoms\"><\/span>Symptoms<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most people\nexposed to the cholera bacterium don&#8217;t become ill and don&#8217;t know they&#8217;ve been\ninfected. But since they&#8217;ve lost seven to 14 days of cholera bacteria in their\nurine, they can still infect others by polluted water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many cases\nof cholera causing symptoms cause mild to moderate diarrhoea which is often\ndifficult to tell apart from diarrhoea caused by other issues. Others show more\nsevere Cholera signs and symptoms, commonly within a few days of infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Symptoms of cholera infection can include:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Diarrhea:<\/strong> Cholera-related diarrhea comes\non suddenly and can quickly cause dangerous fluid loss \u00e2\u20ac\u201d as much as a quart an\nhour. Cholera-related diarrhea also has a yellow, milky appearance which is\nsimilar to water in which rice has been rinsed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Nausea and Vomiting:<\/strong> Vomiting\nhappens in the early stages of cholera in particular, which can last for hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Dehydration:<\/strong> Dehydration\nmay develop within hours after cholera symptoms start and range from mild to\nextreme. A loss of 10% or more of body weight indicates severe dehydration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cholera\ndehydration signs and symptoms include irritability, weakness, sunken eyes, dry\nmouth, intense thirst, dry and shrivelled skin that is sluggish to bounce back\nwhen pinched in a fold, little or no urinating, low blood pressure, and an\nirregular heartbeat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>When to see a doctor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For\ndeveloped nations the possibility of cholera is small. Also in areas where it\noccurs, if you meet food safety guidelines you are not likely to become\ncontaminated. Even, cholera cases occur all over the world. If after visiting\nan area with active cholera you experience serious diarrhea see your doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have\ndiarrhea, particularly severe diarrhea, and think you may have been exposed to\ncholera, seek immediate treatment. Extreme dehydration is a medical emergency,\nrequiring urgent treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Causes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A bacterium\ncalled Vibrio cholerae causes cholera infection. The toxin causes large\nquantities of water to be secreted by the body, leading to vomiting and a rapid\nloss of fluids and salts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In all\npeople who are exposed to them, cholera bacteria do not cause disease, but they\nalso move through the bacteria in their stool which can contaminate food and\nwater sources. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Contaminated\nwater sources are the principal cause of infection with cholera. The bacterium\nlies in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Raw fruits and vegetables:<\/strong> Raw,\nunpeeled fruits and vegetables are a common source of infection with cholera in\nareas where cholera is contained. Uncomposted manure fertilizers or irrigation\nwater containing raw sewage in developing countries can contaminate on-field\nproduce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Grains:<\/strong> In regions where cholera is\nwidespread, cholera bacteria may grow in grains such as rice and millet that\nare contaminated after cooking and kept for several hours at room temperature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Risk factors<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Everyone is\nsusceptible to cholera, with the exception of infants who get immunity from\nnursing mothers who have previously had cholera. Still, certain factors can\nmake you more vulnerable to the disease or more likely to have severe signs and\nsymptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Risk factors\nfor cholera include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Household exposure:<\/strong> If you live\nwith someone who has the disease you are at an increased risk of cholera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Type O Blood<\/strong>: For\nreasons which are not entirely clear, people with blood type O are twice as\nlikely to develop cholera compared to people with other types of blood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Raw or undercooked shellfish:<\/strong> While\nindustrialized nations are no longer experiencing large-scale cholera\noutbreaks, eating shellfish from waters known to harbor the bacteria increases\nthe risk considerably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Complications\"><\/span>Complications<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Cholera can\nquickly become fatal. In the most severe cases, the rapid loss of large amounts\nof fluids and electrolytes can lead to death within hours. In less severe\ncases, people who don&#8217;t get care can die from hours of dehydration and shock to\ndays after symptoms of cholera first appear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although the\nworst complications of cholera are shock and extreme dehydration, other\nproblems can occur like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Low blood sugar:<\/strong> Dangerously\nlow levels of blood sugar \u00e2\u20ac\u201d the body&#8217;s main energy source \u00e2\u20ac\u201d can occur when people\nbecome too ill to eat. Children are at the highest risk of this condition which\ncan lead to seizures, unconsciousness and even death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Low potassium levels:<\/strong> People with\ncholera lose significant quantities of minerals in their stools like potassium.\nVery small levels of potassium interfere with the activity of the heart and\nnerve and are life-threatening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Kidney failure:<\/strong> When the\nkidneys lose their filtering capacity, large amounts of fluids, other\nelectrolytes and waste build up in the body \u00e2\u20ac\u201d a life-threatening disease.\nKidney failure also causes shock in persons with cholera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Prevention\"><\/span>Prevention<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Cholera is\nrare in the United States with a few cases related to travel outside the U.S. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you fly\nto places known to have cholera, if you take these precautions the chance of\ncontracting the disease is extremely low:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Wash your hands with soap and water frequently,<\/strong>&nbsp;especially after using the toilet and before\nhandling food. Rub soapy, damp hands together for 15 seconds minimum before\nrinsing. Where soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer based on\nalcohol.<\/li><li><strong>Drink only safe water,<\/strong>&nbsp;like bottled water or boiled or disinfected water. And\nbrush your teeth using bottled water.<\/li><li><strong>Hot\nbeverages<\/strong>, including canned or bottled beverages, are usually\nfree, but clean the outside before you open them up.<\/li><li><strong>Eat food which is completely cooked and hot<\/strong>&nbsp;and avoid food from street vendors, if possible.\nIf you do buy a meal from a street vendor, make sure it&#8217;s cooked in your\npresence and served hot.<\/li><li><strong>Avoid sushi,<\/strong>&nbsp;and any sort of raw or poorly cooked fish and seafood.<\/li><li><strong>Stick to fruits and vegetables that you can peel yourself,<\/strong>&nbsp;like bananas, oranges and avocados. Stay away\nfrom salads and fruits that can&#8217;t be peeled, such as grapes and berries.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cholera_vaccine\"><\/span>Cholera vaccine<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In the United States,\na vaccine called Vaxchora is available for adults traveling from the United\nStates to areas plagued by cholera. It is a dose of liquid taken by mouth at\nleast 10 days before traveling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some other countries\noffer oral vaccines also. Contact your doctor or local office of public health\nfor more information about these vaccines. Even with the vaccine, to prevent\ncholera, it is necessary to take the precautions set out above<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Overview Cholera is a bacterial disease that is commonly spread by contaminated water. Cholera causes extreme dehydration and diarrhoea. Left untreated, cholera can be lethal within hours, even in people who were previously healthy. Modern treatment of sewage and water almost eliminated cholera in developed countries. But cholera still exists in Africa, Southeast Asia and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3827,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthcare"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1532","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1532"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1532\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3827"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1532"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1532"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1532"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}