Cholera
什么是Cholera？
Cholera is a disease of the gastro-intestinal tract and is caused by a bacterium known as Vibrio cholerae. There are multiple types and strains of these bacteria. Outbreaks of cholera are common in many tropical countries around the world. Serious epidemics can occur anywhere in the world where water supplies, sanitation, food safety and hygiene are inadequate. Overpopulated communities and refugee camps are particularly high risk settings due to poor sanitation and unsafe drinking water supplies.
Cholera can be a dangerous and sometimes fatal disease because it may cause severe diarrhoea and rapid dehydration resulting in hypotension (low blood pressure), shock, and death, sometimes within hours.
如何获得Cholera？
Cholera is spread by eating food or drinking water contaminated by the feces or vomit of infected persons. Contaminated municipal water supplies and unsafe water storage can lead to large scale outbreaks. The organism can remain alive in water for considerable periods of time. Sources of cholera infection include beverages and ice prepared with contaminated water, fruits and vegetables washed with contaminated water, as well as raw or undercooked seafood. Infected food handlers who do not practice good personal hygiene can introduce cholera into prepared foods. For safe eating and drinking, wash your hands often.
易感性和抗性
Generally, everyone is susceptible in the absence of any previous exposure. After acute infection and illness, some immunity does develop but not against all strains of the bacterium.
症状是什么？
Infection with the cholera bacteria results in a very sudden onset of profuse, painless, watery diarrhoea with nausea and vomiting. If not treated rapidly, dehydration can occur with collapse of the circulation, resulting in death, sometimes in just a few hours. There are many variations in the illness due to the different strains of cholera bacteria. The infection can range from a very mild, almost unapparent illness to a severe life-threatening disease. With proper rapid treatment, death occurs in less than 1 percent of the cases, but in untreated severe cases, death may occur in up to 50 percent of the cases.
预防措施
避免未装瓶或未煮沸的食物和水配制不当。如果您接触的霍乱患者具有较高的传播风险，例如，住在同一家庭，您应该寻求医疗建议，以获取适当的抗生素，以防止疾病发作。目前可获得口服霍乱疫苗，但只能在相对较短的时间内提供有限的保护。疫苗分开两次，至少间隔一周，两次疫苗都应在前往旅行者可能与霍乱接触的区域之前至少一周完成一次。
处理
Treatment consists of three measures:
- Aggressive replacement of lost fluid by oral or intravenous means;
- Administration of an effective antibiotic (e.g., tetracycline or one of several other readily available antibiotics) to reduce the volume of loss of fluids and the duration of the diarrhoea; and
- Treatment of any complications that may result from the aggressive replacement of lost fluid.
药物
疫苗接种
它常见于哪里？
霍乱在世界上许多热带国家很常见。
