What is cholera facts for kids?

Cholera can cause watery diarrhea and vomiting, making people who have it get dehydrated quickly. When dehydration is severe, it can cause serious health problems if it’s not treated. It can even cause seizures and kidney failure. People who don’t get the proper medical treatment may even die.

What is cholera summary?

Cholera is an acute, diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with the toxigenic bacterium Vibrio cholerae serogroup O1 or O139. An estimated 2.9 million cases and 95,000 deaths occur each year around the world. The infection is often mild or without symptoms, but can be severe.

What is unique about cholera?

Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal disease that can kill within hours if left untreated. Cholera is an acute infection of the gut, caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae O1 or O139, which can lead to rapid dehydration if left untreated.

Which is the main cause of cholera?

Cholera is an acute diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with Vibrio cholerae bacteria. People can get sick when they swallow food or water contaminated with cholera bacteria.

Is cholera still around today?

Left untreated, cholera can be fatal within hours, even in previously healthy people. Modern sewage and water treatment have virtually eliminated cholera in industrialized countries. But cholera still exists in Africa, Southeast Asia and Haiti.

Why is cholera called the Blue Death?

Cholera has been nicknamed the “blue death” because a person’s skin may turn bluish-gray from extreme loss of fluids [4].

Can cholera be cured?

Cholera is an easily treatable disease. The majority of people can be treated successfully through prompt administration of oral rehydration solution (ORS).

Where is cholera the worst?

On 14 August, WHO stated that about 500,000 people in Yemen were affected by cholera. WHO called it “the worst cholera outbreak in the world”.

Is cholera called the Blue death?

Is cholera killed by boiling water?

Dr. MINTZ: Well, boiling water is a very effective way to disinfect the water. And it will not only kill Vibrio cholerae, the bacteria that causes cholera, but it’s a right way to make sure your water is free of any pathogen, any living organism that could cause infection or illness.

Where is cholera found today?

Modern sewage and water treatment have virtually eliminated cholera in industrialized countries. But cholera still exists in Africa, Southeast Asia and Haiti. The risk of a cholera epidemic is highest when poverty, war or natural disasters force people to live in crowded conditions without adequate sanitation.

Is cholera still around?

What are the chances of catching cholera?

The disease is not likely to spread directly from one person to another; therefore, casual contact with an infected person is not a risk for becoming ill. The risk for cholera is very low for people visiting areas with epidemic cholera. When simple precautions are observed, contracting the disease is unlikely.

What are the dangers of cholera?

The dangerous aspect of cholera is the vast loss of fluid that can occur in a short space of time. It’s particularly dangerous in children in developing countries. If untreated, the loss of fluid can be fatal within 24 hours of developing the disease.

What is the cure for cholera?

A cure for cholera generally entails antibiotics though many doctors do feel that antibiotics should be reserved for only more serious cases. Medication such as tetracycline, doxycycline, furazolidone, erythromycin, or ciprofloxacin (Cipro, Cipro XR, Proquin XR) are all used to treat cholera.

What are the causes of cholera?

Causes of Cholera. Cholera is caused by bacteria called Vibrio cholerae. The disease’s deadly effects are the result of a strong toxin known as CTX that is produced by these bacteria in your small intestine. CTX interferes with the normal flow of sodium and chloride when it binds to your intestinal walls.