LIFESCI 3C03 Lecture 1: Cholera Summary
18 Feb 2019
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Cholera - Bacterial disease that can live outside of a human host and is routed via ingestion of water contaminated
with feces from an infected individual
Significance
diarrheal diseases, including cholera, kill an estimated 2.46 million people each year according to WHO •
cholera was the original case study in epidemiology and led to several important medical and healthy policy mile •
stones
Vibrio Cholerae
bacteria thrive in warm, brackish water •
more than 90% of cases are mild or have no symptoms •
severe cases marked by dangerous dehydration •
cells attempt to normalize extreme concentration of ions from cholera and results in diarrhea ◦
this leads to dehydration ‣
Cholera's Effects
cholera infects the epithelial cells that line the intestine •
these cells are responsible for absorbing nutrients from our food and depositing water back into the stool so we •
can eliminate the waste
cholera releases a toxin that cause ion channels in the epithelial cell membranes to become locked in the open •
position
results in chloride ions rushing out of the cells ◦
to normalize concentration of these ions, the epithelial cells dump their water into the intestine too •
Cholera Symptoms
the result is diarrhea so severe it can cause death by dehydration in a matter of hours •
until the stethoscope became widely used in the 1850's, it was difficult to tell if a person with cholera was dead •
or alive
Cholera's Spread
Cholera mainly spreads through drinking water contaminated with feces, or through food washed or grown in •
contaminated water
children and the elderly are most at-risk, as well as those with weak immune systems •
Prevention
the best way to prevent cholera is to avoid water contamination, or avoid exposure to contaminated water •
there is also a cholera vaccine •
Treatment
cholera is highly treatable with oral rehydration solution •
all you really need is lots of clean water - but not everyone has access to this ◦
severe cases may require intravenous fluids and antibiotics •
antibiotics are very cheap and just need to be added to clean water ◦
the mortality rate with treatment is less than 1% •
the mortality rate without treatment is approx. 50% •
despite being highly treatable, cholera still sickens about 3 million people and kills 100,000 people every year •
Key Terms
Endemic: a disease that is regularly found among a group of people or in a particular region •
Epidemic: an outbreak of infectious disease in a community at a particular time •
Pandemic: an outbreak that covers a wide geographic area and affects a large proportion of the population •
i.e. H1N1 flu = pandemic ◦
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Cholera - bacterial disease that can live outside of a human host and is routed via ingestion of water contaminated with feces from an infected individual. Signi cance diarrheal diseases, including cholera, kill an estimated 2. 46 million people each year according to who cholera was the original case study in epidemiology and led to several important medical and healthy policy mile stones. 50% despite being highly treatable, cholera still sickens about 3 million people and kills 100,000 people every year. Endemic: a disease that is regularly found among a group of people or in a particular region. Epidemic: an outbreak of infectious disease in a community at a particular time. Pandemic: an outbreak that covers a wide geographic area and affects a large proportion of the population i. e. h1n1 flu = pandemic. Bay of bengal - the first pandemic (1817-1924) 7 cholera pandemics began in india and spread out towards the middle east, eastern africa and the.
