The earthquake, which took place in Kahramanmaraş and affected 10 provinces with it, caused thousands of people to lose their lives. The survivors, on the other hand, are struggling to survive physically and psychologically. Speaking on the diseases that should be considered in this process, experts also drew attention to the cholera epidemic. So what is the Cholera epidemic? What are the symptoms of a cholera epidemic? Here are the answers to the questions:
Cholera is a disease that occurs when a bacterium called Vibrio cholerae settles in the intestines. The disease, which causes acute and severe diarrhea, was first seen in Japan in 117. It then continued in Moscow in 1826 and then in Berlin and Paris in 1831. The disease, which is seen in big cities, caused serious deaths before treatment was found. It came to our lands during the time of the Ottoman Empire. The epidemic in the Balkan Wars led to the death of many soldiers. The cholera virus, which spreads due to the mixing of feces with the water and the lack of purification of the water, is often seen in crowded and natural disasters affected places.
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF CHOLERA DISEASE?
It causes the virus to be transmitted by mouth due to insufficient washing of vegetables and fruits grown in dirty water. In addition, the consumption of seafood grown in such polluted waters without adequate cooking may also be the cause. Dirty water reaches the fields and the harvests are infected with viruses. This causes an epidemic in the food grown in the fields. Rarely, it is transmitted from person to person through faeces. Or shared items are also one of the main reasons for the contagion process.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF CHOLERA DISEASE?
The virus, which is in the incubation period within 1 or 2 days, then takes action. First, it causes diarrhea. Later, the severity of diarrhea increases. The body is almost dehydrated. Following this, body aches, dry mouth, loss of appetite, severe abdominal pain, sudden decrease in blood pressure, rising and falling pulse due to thirst, bruising in the eyes, yellowing of the skin, pain in the vocal cords, wrinkling of the skin due to water loss and finally the patient goes into shock. It can result in death if not treated early.
IS THERE A TREATMENT FOR CHOLERA DISEASE?
When it first appeared, there was no definitive treatment. However, today there is a very simple treatment method. First of all, medication is used to stop diarrhea. As the body loses excessive water, fluid supplementation is provided. In this process, as the body experiences loss of potassium and salt along with fluid, foods rich in these substances are consumed. There is a vaccine for the disease, but the World Health Organization does not recommend it. Because even if the vaccine is preventive for the virus, it does not stop its progress.
