Cholera
Cholera is a disease, characterised by profuse, watery diarrhoea. Common in many low-income countries and is largely linked to poverty, bad sanitation and poor access to clean drinking water.
What is Chollera?
Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by consuming food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It is a global public health threat and indicates inequity and lack of social and economic development. Cholera can be mild or occur without symptoms in healthy individuals. Most people with cholera have mild or moderate diarrhoea and can be treated with oral rehydration solution (ORS). Symptoms include sudden, profuse, watery diarrhoea with associated nausea and vomiting. However, if untreated, cholera can rapidly lead to serious dehydration, shock and in the most severe cases, be life threatening.
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Who is at risk of Chollera?
The risk of cholera for most travellers is extremely low. Activities that may increase risk include drinking untreated water or eating poorly cooked food (particularly seafood) in areas where outbreaks are occurring. Travellers living in unsanitary conditions, including humanitarian workers in disaster/refugee areas, are also at risk.
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How is chollera spread?
Symptoms of altitude sickness usually start 6 to 10 hours after being at a high altitude.
The main symptoms include:
a headache
loss of appetite
feeling or being sick
feeling tired or exhausted
dizziness
difficulty sleeping
Sometimes, the symptoms can develop into more serious symptoms that can be life-threatening.
Where is chollera a risk?
Most cases of cholera are confined to regions of the world with poor sanitation and water hygiene, such as parts of: Africa Asia South America
