Cholera is a deadly diarrhea that may kill half its victims without simple treatment—a mixture of plenty of clean water and appropriate amounts of salt and sugar. It is caused by a bacterium called Vibrio cholerae. Most infected people do not become ill but nevertheless excrete the organism in their stools for up to two weeks and may infect others. One in ten of those infected develop vomiting and severe, watery diarrhea, leading to marked dehydration in just a few hours; up to half will die without treatment. Mortality decreases from 50% to less than 1% with prompt and adequate clean (boiled or bottled) water mixed with ORS (oral rehydration salts) containing sodium, glucose, and small amounts of potassium. ORS packets are generally available from a local pharmacy. Consult with your local health service for further direction if you are unable to find them.
Cholera becomes epidemic with poor sanitation such as may occur after a disaster or in conditions of severe poverty.
The basic preventive measures are the same wherever cholera is a risk.
- Wash hands frequently with hot water and soap, especially after using the toilet and before preparing food or eating.
- Drink only clean water that you know has been boiled or otherwise purified of disease-causing organisms.
- Eat only foods that have been cooked and kept hot until you eat them, or fresh fruits and vegetables with thick peelings that you have peeled with clean utensils.
- Do not eat fish or other seafood that has not been fully cooked.
- Be wary of ice cream, which is often contaminated, and unpasteurized dairy foods.
Water purification and clean food preparation are also discussed in Basic Physical Health with Limited Resources and as part of Nutrition and Diet.
Note: Although the underlined links below are not sponsored by the Church, they provide useful health information about cholera.
