Cholera is an acute bacterial disease caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.
A cholera infection can be mild, with no symptoms. But about 10% of infected people develop severe symptoms, 12 hours to five days after ingesting the bacteria. These symptoms include:
- Watery diarrhoea, sometimes described as “rice-water stools”
- Nausea and vomiting
- Abdominal discomfort
- Thirst
- Rapid dehydration
- Irritability or restlessness
You can protect yourself if you follow these precautions:
- Wash your hands with soap and water frequently, especially after using the toilet and before handling food. If soap and water aren’t available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Drink only safe water, including bottled water or water you’ve boiled or disinfected yourself. Use bottled water even to brush your teeth.
- Eat food that’s completely cooked and hot and avoid street vendor food, if possible.
Avoid raw foods, including the following:
- Unpeeled fruits and vegetables
- Unpasteurized milk and milk products
- Raw or undercooked meat or shellfish
Most people exposed to the cholera bacterium (Vibrio cholerae) don’t become ill and don’t know they’ve been infected. But because they shed cholera bacteria in their stool for seven to 14 days, they can still infect others through contaminated water.
Cholera, though a preventable and treatable disease, is still regarded as an important public health problem in developing countries including India. Migration, unhygienic living conditions, overcrowding, open field defecation, and ignorance about the spread of disease are the major reasons for the occurrence of cholera.
Dr. Divya Vaz