CHOLERA

-

Case Scenario:

                        A patient is 27 years old. He was infected by Bacteria V. cholerae(Cholera using bacteria it is a gram-negative type). By eating contaminated food and water or water right after a watermelon, uncooked food, or fruits. After 24-48 hours, some symptoms started to begin with painless watery diarrhea which is very voluminous and vomiting happens with it sometimes too. He vomits when he eats something. After a day his skin takes the color of pale yellow and he becomes weak due to dehydration due to vomiting and diarrhea. In the first days of the infection, he drank some rehydration syrups but those weren't effective, He also felt severe pain in the stomach.

He experienced accompanying abdominal cramps, probably from distension of loops of the small bowel as a result of the large volume of the intestinal secretions. Fever is typically absent.

Epidemiology:

                      Worldwide, Cholera has infected around 3-5 million people and caused 100000-120000 deaths annually. Approximately 5-10% of people suffer from severe cases of cholera and if untreated around 50% are fatal. The severity, duration, and frequency of the cholera infection depend on different parts of the world. Environmental factors such as climate variability, temperature, and rainfall play an important role in cholera transmission. Population density, urbanization, and overcrowding also influence cholera transmission. It is also closely associated with the social and behavioral aspects of individuals as well as communities. Each year, many cholera outbreaks are reported from different regions of the world. These outbreaks have a negative impact on the social and economic conditions of the affected countries.  An integrated, multisectoral program, designed on evidence-based interventions, is required to prevent and control cholera.

Causes: 

             Cholera is an acute diarrheal illness caused by the infection of the intestine with Vibrio cholerae bacteria. They can get sick when they eat or drink something infected by the cholera bacteria. The infection is usually mild and without symptoms, but sometimes can be severe and life-threatening.

Symptoms:

                 About 1 in 10 people experience severe symptoms of cholera, which in early stages include,

  1. Profuse watery diarrhea, sometimes described as rice-watery stools
  2. Vomiting
  3. Thirst
  4. Leg cramps
  5. Restlessness and irritability

Complications:

  1. Shock
  2. Dehydration
  3. Low blood sugar(Hypoglycemia)
  4. Low potassium levels
  5. Kidney failure

Diagnosis:   

              Although the signs and symptoms of severe cholera can be unmistakable in areas where it is very common. The only way to know for sure is to identify the bacteria in a stool sample. Rapid cholera dipsticks can enable doctors to quickly diagnose cholera in countries where cholera is common.

Management:

                  Oral and intravenous hydration is the primary treatment for cholera. In conjunction with Hydration, you can also use antibiotics is recommended for severely ill patients. It is also recommended for a patient who has severe or low dehydration and continues to pass out a large volume of stool even during rehydration therapy.

Prevention:   

  1. Make sure you use safe water to brush your teeth and to drink, use safe water for cooking and for making ice 
  2. Wash your hands often with soap and water
  3. Use latrines or bury your poop, do not poop in any water bodies.
  4. Cook food well, Eat it hot and peel fruits and vegetables.
  5. Clean the kitchen and bathroom and any place that the family bathes or washes their clothes 

References:

  1. Case Scenario was taken from a website called Occupational medicine and health affair; Written by Muhammad Zeeshan Zafar(Corresponding author) and Hafsa Gulzar; the URL is https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/a-case-study-cholera-2329-6879-1000252.php?aid=82034.

     2. Epidemiology was taken from a website called Intech; Written by Saulat Jahan; The URL is https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/50256

     3. Causes, Prevention, and symptoms were taken from the CDC; The URL is  https://www.cdc.gov/cholera/general/index.html

    4. Complication, diagnosis, and management were taken from the mayo clinic website; The URL is
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cholera/symptoms-causes/syc-20355287
             
               

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Common Cold

-
  Case Scenario:                             A 2-year-old girl presents with a 3-day history of 38.7-degree centigrade fever, nasal congestion with cloudy rhinorrhea, and conjunctivitis. The pharynx is erythematous and the rest of the exam is normal. She has remained healthy and the rest of the vaccination is completed. The mother is worried and wants to know which antibiotic you will prescribe, as her brother is allergic to penicillin.                     Definition:                              It is a viral infection that is acute, self-limiting, and usually targets the upper respiratory tract(nose and throat). It is usually harmless and many types of viruses can cause a common cold. Epidemiology:                           ...
Read more

Helminthiasis

-
Introduction:                   Helminths are parasites/worms which infest the human body and can cause helminthiasis. These infections are very common in the tropics and subtropics. Children who have a habit of walking barefoot in mud or those that eat paint or sand or those who have a history of PICA are more prone to such infections. Etiology:         Most common worm infestations are caused by flatworms(like tapeworms and flukes) and roundworms(like ascariasis, pinworm, and hookworm infection). Epidemiology:                    Studies have suggested that within the USA, approximately 1.3 to 2.8 million people have serological evidence with Toxocara species, 4 million with soil-transmitted helminths, 41,400 to 169,000 with cysticercosis, and approximately 8000 with schistosomiasis. A recent study done in Chicago shows that approximately 12% of subjects providing samples ...
Read more

GLOMERULONEPHRITIS

-
  Case scenario:                          A 25-year-old woman presented to her primary care physician complaining of swollen hands since last week. She had also noticed that over the last 2 days she was swelling around her eyes and was short of breath. Epidemiology:                     Glomerulonephritis is rare, with an estimated worldwide incidence of 0.5-2.5 per 100,000 patients per year depending on the specific type. In contrast, the risk of progression to end-stage renal disease(ESRD) is high, explaining why glomerulonephritis accounts for 14-20% of cases of end-stage renal disease. Causes: Toxins and medicine Viral infections like hepatitis C and B virus. IgA nephropathy lupus-related kidney inflammation Symptoms: Fatigue High blood pressure Swelling of the hands, feet, belly, and face Blood and protein in the urine Decreased urine output. Complications: Acute k...
Read more