Treatment+&+Response-Cholera

Diagnosis for patients with Cholera happens through a dipstick test that must be placed directly into stool to identify pathogenic bacteria. These tests are now available for poorer countries, and are very helpful in diagnosis.

The main issue with Cholera in infected patients is its cause of rapid dehydration. Treatments that have been created mainly attempt to attack the issue of dehydration. Dehydrated individuals are categorized into three levels.

For those who are mildly dehydrated, treatment consists of 50 mL/kg of oral rehydrating solution (ORS) in the first 4 hours. Then, 100ml//kg of ORS is given to the patient daily until the diarrhea stops. Patients who are moderately dehydrated have a similar treatment but with higher dosages and frequencies. Within the first 4 hours they are given 100mL/kg of ORS, and then 10-15mL/kg per hour that follows.

Severe dehydration cases require intravenous rehydration. To overcome shock, many liters of intravenous fluid are given to the patient, followed by ORS. The ORS consists of 250mg Tetracycline, or Doxycycline, and needs to be given 4 times a day for 3 days in order to eradicate the infection.

Specific drugs used to treat Cholera are ciproxin, doxy tablets, and tetrex. Cirpoxin has the capability to kill some of the cholera bacterium. Doxy tablets prevent the growth of many microorganisms. Lastly, Tetrex manipulates protein building units of bacteria, preventing more sensitive bacteria from growing.

Current prevention at the disease is geared towards eliminating water and sanitation issues. During the outbreak of 2010, the Haitian Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) sent a message to Haitian news stations that included five basic prevention messages. These were : 1) drink and use safe water; 2) wash your hands often, using soap and water; 3) use latrines or bury feces and do not defecate in any body of water; 4) cook food well, keep it covered, eat it hot, and peel fruits and vegetables; and 5) clean up safely in the kitchen and in places where the family bathes and washes clothes. These messages ware translated into French, Haitian, and Spanish in order to make it more accessible to all Haitains.

During the outbreak, water agencies doubled the level of chlorine in the water, in hopes of ridding it of disease.Aid groups provided soap and water purification tablets while educating people in Port-au-Prince about the importance of washing hands as a method of preventing diseases. Education and sanitation are key in the prevention of another outbreak.

http://www.virtualmedicalcentre.com/diseases.asp?did=114&title=cholera http://www.cdc.gov/cholera/pdf/Five-Basic-Cholera-Prevention-Messages.pdf []

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cholera/ds00579/dsection=tests-and-diagnosis