CHOLERA

WHAT IS CHOLERA?
Cholera is an infectious disease that causes severe watery
diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and even death if
untreated. It is caused by eating food or drinking water
contaminated with a bacterium called Vibrio cholerae.

WHY CHOLERA CALLED BLUE DEATH?

Cholera has been nicknamed the "blue death" because a
person dying of cholera may lose so many body fluids that their
skin turns bluish-gray.
ORIGIN OF CHOLERA
• The first cholera pandemic emerged out of the Ganges Delta
with an outbreak in Jessore, India, in 1817, stemming from
contaminated rice. The disease quickly spread throughout most
of India, modern-day Myanmar, and modern-day Sri Lanka by
traveling along trade routes established by Europeans.

• By 1820, cholera had spread to Thailand, Indonesia (killing

100,000 people on the island of Java alone) and the Philippines.
From Thailand and Indonesia, the disease made its way to
China in 1820 and Japan in 1822 by way of infected people on
ships.
• The second cholera pandemic began around 1829.

• Cholera infect Europe and America

• By autumn of 1830, cholera had made it to Moscow. The spread of the

disease reaching Finland and Poland. It then passed into Hungary and
Germany.
• “cholera riots” in Liverpool.

• Around the same time, cholera imported into the United States,
appearing in New York and Philadelphia. Over the next couple of years, it
would spread across the country. It reached Latin America,
including Mexico and Cuba, in 1833.
 PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
• When the bacteria that
cause cholera enter the body,
some of it can be killed by
stomach acid. However, some
of the bacteria travel to the
small intestine, causing the
loss of large amounts of salt
and water in the form of
watery diarrhea. The resulting
dehydration, when severe, can
cause death.
• These bacteria release a
toxin that causes an
increased amount of water
to be released from cells that
line the intestines. This
increase in water produces
severe diarrhea. People
develop the infection from
eating or drinking food or
water that contains
the cholera germ.
 CAUSATIVE AGENT
• Cholera is an infectious
disease that causes severe
watery diarrhea, which can
lead to dehydration and even
death if untreated. It
is caused by eating food or
drinking water contaminated
with a bacterium called
Vibrio Cholerae.
Cholera Causes
Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium that causes cholera, is
usually found in food or water contaminated by feces from
a person with the infection. Common sources include:
• Municipal water supplies
• Ice made from municipal water
• Foods and drinks sold by street vendors
• Vegetables grown with water containing human wastes
• Raw or undercooked fish and seafood caught in waters
polluted with sewage
MODE OF TRANSMISSION

It is spread by eating or drinking food

or water contaminated by the feces
(poop) of an infected person. This
occurs more often in underdeveloped
countries lacking proper water
supplies and sewage disposal. It is not
likely that cholera is spread directly
from one person to another

SYMPYOMS
Symptoms of cholera can begin as soon
as a few hours or as long as five days
after infection. Often, symptoms are
mild. But sometimes they are very
serious. About one in 20 people infected
have severe watery diarrhea
accompanied by vomiting, which can
quickly lead to dehydration. Although
many infected people may have minimal
or no symptoms, they can still
contribute to spread of the infection.
• Rapid heart rate
• Loss of skin elasticity (the ability to
return to original position quickly if
pinched)
• Dry mucous membranes, including
the inside of the mouth, throat, nose,
and eyelids
• Low blood pressure
• Thirst
• Muscle cramps
• If not treated, dehydration can lead to
shock and death in a matter of hours.
 TREATMENT
• Rehydration therapy, meaning prompt restoration of
lost fluids and salts through rehydration therapy is the
primary goal of treatment.
•Antibiotic treatment, which reduces fluid requirements
and duration of illness, is indicated for severe cases of
cholera.
•Zinc treatment has also been shown to help improve
cholera symptoms in children
PREVENTION