It’s not just the residents of these areas who are affected during an outbreak. Visitors can be at risk for catching the disease as well, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns. Although most cases aren’t severe and can be treated, the condition can lead to death for those who don’t get the proper care. In addition, cholera-related dehydration can cause an electrolyte imbalance, or a rapid loss of vital minerals in your blood. People with an electrolyte imbalance may experience muscle cramps due to reduced levels of sodium, chloride, and potassium in the blood, along with hypovolemic shock caused by dangerous drops in blood pressure and oxygen flow.
Poor sanitary conditionsReduced stomach acidType O bloodHousehold exposure
Prognosis of Cholera
The fluid replacement typically recommended is a WHO-developed rehydration solution called oral rehydration salts (ORS). ORS is available as a powder that can be combined with boiled or bottled water. As long as it’s mixed with clean water, it’s designed to be consumed in large amounts in order to provide full rehydration.
Medication Options for Cholera
Alternative and Complementary Therapies
Plant-extract formulations may eventually be helpful in easing symptoms, in conjunction with established treatments, but it’s important to note that this approach shouldn’t be used in place of rehydration therapy or antibiotics.
No cholera vaccine is 100 percent protective, though, and vaccination against cholera isn’t a substitute for standard prevention and control measures. Those with the most severe illness lose large amounts of fluids and electrolytes quickly, causing death within hours. In less-extreme situations, people who can’t get treated right away can die of dehydration and shock hours to days after their symptoms first appear.
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)Reduced potassium levelsKidney failure
In addition, severe diarrhea causes people with cholera to lose large quantities of essential minerals the body needs, including potassium. Reduced potassium levels can interfere with heart and nerve function and be life-threatening.
Traveler’s Diarrhea
Unlike cholera, traveler’s diarrhea is rarely life-threatening, but if nothing else, it can make for a very unpleasant trip.
Dehydration
Dehydration causes dry mouth, fatigue, dizziness, headache, and muscle cramps. You may also urinate less often than you normally do, or have dark urine. Within the United Nations system, the WHO is the authority on international health. Their website provides a comprehensive look at cholera — what it is, how it spreads, and how to prevent it — as well as news on cholera outbreaks and vaccinations. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) In addition to covering all the basics of cholera, the CDC provides the latest statistics and data on the disease, insight into their own efforts to investigate and combat outbreaks, and helpful information for travelers. Mayo Clinic A highly trusted source for Everyday Health editors, the Mayo Clinic offers clear, straightforward info on cholera and its potential complications and what to do if you believe you’ve been exposed to it. Additional reporting by Brian P. Dunleavy.
