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Monday, July 18, 2011

Is There Any Real Threat of Contracting Cholera?

At the present time, according to World Health Organization, cholera is recorded on almost all continents of the world. Constant and real threat of importation of cholera into the territory of Russia there.

Cholera - is the oldest intestinal infection, occasionally extending to many countries in the past and kill millions of human lives.

Historical and current to today's hotbeds of cholera are the areas of river basins of the Ganges and Brahmaputra in India, parts of Pakistan and countries in Southeast Asia, where a combination of climatic, geographical and social factors determined the formation and establishment of the infection.

From 1816 to seven stories describe the devastating pandemics of cholera. All the pandemic began in India and took over many countries. It was only during the fifth pandemic (1883-1896 years), German bacteriologist Koch opened the cholera - Vibrio cholerae classical. Procession of the seventh pandemic began in 1861. During this period, the classical cholera vibrio was replaced by Vibrio El Tor.

In 2006 the world had registered 151 318 cases of cholera, died 4575 people

Cholera is a group of acute intestinal diseases, which infects only humans. Cholera - vibrio. Outside the human body Vibrio cholerae are unstable.

The source of infection is a sick person or vibriocarrier, which provides the agent with the feces, contaminating the environment. Portal of entry is the gastrointestinal tract, where the pathogen enters with infected water or food. Possible contact-household transmission through infected Vibrio household items. Different foods can be stored Vibrio cholerae from 9 to 30 days, and in waters up to eleven months.

The incubation period for cholera patients from the moment of infection until the onset of clinical signs of disease, lasting from several hours to 5 days (usually 1-2 days). The disease can cause mild, to severe, life-threatening form.

The disease begins with the appearance of acute watery stools, vomiting, malaise, weakness, light fever, dizziness and sometimes a slight increase in body temperature to subfebrile figures. Patients complain of a feeling of dry mouth and thirst (but only increases the liquid drunk vomiting). The stools of the patient in the early hours can have fecal character, but quickly become colorless, watery, and resemble in appearance rice water.

A characteristic feature of cholera is loss of fluids from diarrhea and vomiting. In the short term (one and a half to two days) the patient is losing up to 30-40 liters of fluid, which leads to dramatic shifts in water-salt balance. A quick pronounced dehydration is life threatening. There is dehydration, which, without urgent specific treatment can lead to death.

If signs of disease should call a doctor, but before he took none of the people in the apartment of the sick should not come out of it. The patient was hospitalized, and all who associated with him, are tested (if necessary, subject to preventive hospitalization).

The most effective measure to protect themselves and loved ones of cholera is a strict adherence to measures of personal hygiene and prevention. Needed:

- Frequently and thoroughly wash hands with soap before preparing food, before eating, after using the toilet;
- Protect against contamination of food products, to comply with the terms and temperature of storage;
- Fruits and vegetables consumed after thorough washing with running, and then boiled water;
- Used for drinking water only quality-assured, preferably purified by means of filters, or boiled;
- Refuse to buy products from trays placed on the street;
- If you swim in open water not swallow water;
- Not self-medicate and when the first signs of the disease go to the doctor, remembering that the sooner treatment is started, the less risk to the health of the patient and those around him.

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