The Ministry of Health issues a treatment plan for cholera

Two days after the announcement of acute diarrhea, the Ministry of Health issued a treatment plan for cholera in the afternoon, with symptoms such as continuous diarrhea sometimes tens of liters a day; All water, white like water rice .

Cholera is caused by Vibrio cholerae, causing severe dehydration and electrolytes, leading to severe shock and death if not treated promptly. It used to cause pandemics that killed millions of people, so far there are still epidemics in Africa and some Asian countries. In Vietnam, there are still cases of dispersal, often in the summer in coastal provinces.

Cholera bacteria can exist for many years in coastal molluscs, easily destroyed by temperature and common biocides. The incubation period ranges from a few hours to 5 days.

Symptom

The initial manifestation is abdominal distension, bloating, diarrhea several times. After that, the patient had continuous diarrhea many times in large quantities, sometimes tens of liters a day. All water is described, white is opaque like water with rice, no blood mucus.

Patients vomit very easily (at the beginning of food, after the whole water), often without fever, rarely abdominal pain. Due to dehydration and electrolytes, the patient is exhausted and cramps.

Cholera has 4 forms:

Bacteria that cause cholera.
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- You have no symptoms;
- Light body like normal diarrhea;
- The most typical is the acute form as described above;
- Maximal level (rapid development, urinary retention, rapid depletion after a few hours and death).

In children, often mild illness like normal diarrhea, vomiting, mild fever.

Treatment

The principle is to isolate patients, supplement water and electrolytes, use antibiotics to kill bacteria. Do not use medications that reduce bowel movement.

Severe cases, which do not measure blood vessels and blood pressure, must be emergency in place, if the referral is too far, the prognosis will be worse. The patient was discharged from the hospital when the diarrhea was gone, the clinical condition was stable, the results of 3 times of stool culture tests were without cholera (usually after about 1 week of clinical stability).

Prevention

Isolate patients in separate rooms. Treatment of manure and waste with chloramin B 10% at 1/1 scale or lime powder. Disinfect clothes, blankets, tools and means of transporting patients with chloramin B solution 1-2%, 1-2% Javen water or boiling water.

Preventive treatment for people who have direct contact with patients with antibiotics.

General preventive measures: Environmental sanitation, ensuring clean water supply. Eat cooked, boil, check hygiene and safety of food, ice, soft drinks. Do not eat fresh seafood, live shrimp paste because the source of the disease may be in it and spread the disease.

Use cholera vaccine for risk-prone areas as directed by the preventive health agency.