Clinical features:
- Sudden onset of severe watery diarrhoea.
- typical “rice water” diarrhoea with no pain or colic
- vomiting
- rapid loss of fluid leads to severe dehydration
- acidosis
- hypokalaemia
- hypotension
- shock, oliguria
- musles cramps
- occasionally “cholera sicca” resulting loss of fluid into the
dilated bowel, patient may die without G.I. symptoms appear
Cholera
Laboratory diagnosis:
a) Stool dark field microscopy: shows
“shooting star” motility of v. cholera
b) Rectal swab or stool cultures
Treatment:
1. Fluid and electrolyte balance:
In mild cases give ORS solution plenty as per fluid lost in stool
(ORS solution contains sodium chloride 3.5 gm,
sodium bicarbonate 2.5 gm, potassium chloride 1.5 gm, and
glucose 20 gm, dissolved in one litre of drinking water).
Treament continue…
when the patient’s vomiting stops and urine passes, i.v. fluid omitted
and ORS given orally, up to 500 ml hourly.
Prevention:
- Personal hygiene
- Safe drinking water supply or use boiled water
- prevention of contamination by flies and/or carriers
- Cholera vaccination although limited efficacy.
- in epidemic, public health education, mass media,
- control of water resources
- control of population movement
- mass single dose vaccination
- mass treatment with Tetracycline
- disinfection of discharge and soiled clothing
- proper hand washing with soap and water by care takers, and
before food preparation, before eating and after defecation