Symptoms of cholera

Posted by editor07 on Thursday 30 Apr 2009

Cholera is also known as Asiatic or epidemic cholera and is perhaps one of the most dangerous diseases of the small intestines that tends to afflict the lower part of the small bowel. It is a waterborne disease and commonly occurs during the rainy season.

The culprit known to cause this deadly disease is vibrio cholerae, a Gram-negative bacterium that produces an enterotoxin known as cholera toxin that is spread by the medium of flies and contaminated water. Cholera strikes all of a sudden and fills the intestinal canal with bacilli which tend to die quickly but may leave the patient alive or dead.

What are the symptoms of cholera?
The incubation period of cholera is generally 18-72 hours depending upon the level of contamination caused by the bacteria. The disease is known to hit in three stages and begins with mild diarrhea and vomiting that worsens with the passage of time. The motions become loose and watery and fecal matter is absent. The patient tends to suffer from severe abdominal and muscular cramps due to lack of salts. The temperature rises but the body is cold and blue and the patient’s pulse is weak.

During the second stage of the disease, the skin becomes dry, wrinkled and purple and the urine is absent or very little of it is formed. It is during this stage that the patient may collapse or survive within 24 hours of the onset of the symptoms. With the third stage the patient begins to recover. All the symptoms begin to reverse on their own and there is marked improvement in the overall condition of the patient. Care however, needs to be taken in order to avoid a relapse.

Treatment of cholera:
Treatment usually aims towards minimizing the loss of fluids and body salts. The patient should be given water, soda water or tender coconut water to quench his thirst. Water should be given in small quantities as the patient might throw it up. Intravenous infusions of saline water should be given to make up for the loss of body fluids.

Once the acute stage of the disease subsides the patient should be given tender coconut water and barley water in diluted form. Later, buttermilk can be added to the diet. As recovery progresses rice and curd should be given to the patient and oil, spices and flavored foods should be avoided. Lemon, onions, green chilies and mint can be given to the patient.

Onion is an excellent remedy for battling cholera. Take about 30 g of onion and pound it along with 7 black peppers. Give it to the patient to quench thirst and restlessness. The root bark of guava is known to be a vital source of tannins and a concentrated decoction of it can be given to the patient. It is quite helpful in combating diarrhea and vomiting.