Cholera | Symptoms, Treatment, Vaccines
What is Cholera?
Cholera is a bacterial infection contracted by consuming food or drink that has been contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Not everyone will display symptoms and sometimes the symptoms will be acute, similar to Travellers' Diarrhoea. However, severe symtoms can occur in a matter of days - or even hours - and the results can be fatal.
What Are The Symptoms?
Cholera infections can produce symptoms with varying degrees of severity. Some individuals have no symptoms at all. However, some people may experience a number of symptoms including severe diarrhoea, nausea, and abdominal pains.
How Is It Contracted?
Similar to Typhoid.
Cholera is usually transmitted by food and water that has been contaminated by sewage.
Important sources of infection are:
- Shellfish from sewage polluted beds
- Contaminated raw fruit and vegetables
- Contaminated milk and milk products
- Pollution of water sources
- Ice cream and contaminated ice in drinks
Who Is At Most Risk?
Certain groups of people will be at greater risk than others.
These include:
- Overseas travellers visiting the high-risk areas detailed below
- All infants and young children
Where Are You At Risk?
Cholera transmission has stopped in almost all industrialised countries. However, travellers are still at risk in areas that suffer from poor hygiene and/or limited access to clean water. The following area in particular:
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- South and Southeast Asia
- The Middle East
- Central America and the Caribbean
Vaccination
The Cholera vaccine is taken orally as a drink, which is given in two or three separate doses that are taken one to six weeks apart.
When Should You Be Vaccinated?
Take the vaccine well in advance of travelling.
Does The Vaccine Have Any Side Effects?
Like most injections, some people may experience tenderness and redness at the site of the injection. Some people may suffer from headaches, fever, nausea, stomach pains or diarrhoea.
Source Of information
GlaxoSmithKline, Wikipedia, local doctors, local hospitals, newspaper articles, various.