This is part two of the Oregon Trail series. Awhile back I talked about dysentery. While dysentery comes from a lack of proper hygiene; cholera comes from unclean water used for drinking or cooking. There are bacteria and or viruses with long names with long Latin names involved but for laymen like me they don't matter. Cholera is the other half of what could be called the "shit yourself to death" illnesses. Almost unheard of in modern nations but very common in developing countries.
Prevention is fairly easy. Start with a plan to provide your family with clean potable drinking water. Our friends Directive 21 and Our Happy Homestead sell Berkley filters as well as smaller more portable options. I am preferential to them because they keep the blog going. However you can find quality water filters all over the place. Big name brands like Berkley and Katadyn as well as a couple others are the way to go.
Be especially careful when dealing with or treating people who have cholera. Their butt pee is highly contagious. Wash clothes, bedding and anything that gets messy separately and clean the washer or whatever afterwords. It is prudent to segregate the sick to avoid spreading the problem. If possible only have those treating them interact with the sick. Bleach water and rubber gloves are your friend.
Treatment is largely the same as dysentery with re hydration being the main push. Oral re hydration is followed by IV re hydration in extreme situations if they can't keep fluids down. Antibiotics can shorten the course of the virus.
Have a plan to be able to reliably provide clean water for drinking and cooking so you don't die of cholera.
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5 comments:
Good write-up Ryan; this is one of those nasty disease we have beated because of sanitation, not medicine. If the SHTF, sanitation like goes with it in some places.
To Clarify:
Cholera is caused by the particular bacteria Vibrio cholerae, which secretes a particularly nasty toxin that makes it hard to recover from. One in ten has intractable symptoms, but anyone exposed can get it and pass it along. Like many things, babies and old people are most at risk, primarily because of dehydration.
Your statement "Antibiotics can shorten the course of the virus" is incorrect; viruses are by definition not alive so antibiotics (literally meaning 'against living organism') would not be indicated if you have some sort of viral diarrhea (or any virus). ABX do work on cholera, but oral antibiotics aren't much use because they don't have time to be absorbed. IV treatment would be indicated, but if the SHTF that might be hard to come by. As you suggest, best course is to avoid it in the first place. Safe water. Rehydration if exposed.
Mayo Clinic dot com has a great summary and write up. One gem found in that article on rehydration:
"If a pre-formulated [rehydration] solution is unavailable, you can make your own oral rehydration solution by mixing 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 liter (about 1 quart) of safe drinking water. Be sure to measure accurately because incorrect amounts can make the solution less effective or even harmful. If possible, have someone else check your measurements for accuracy."
If you are prepping, some of that rehydration solution they refer to would not be a bad idea to have around.
i love this oregon trail series! keep 'em coming!
This link describes how to sterilize water if you haven't planned ahead and gotten a water filter.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2050318_sterilize-water.html
Antibiotics do not work on viruses because viruses are not alive. A bacterium is a living, reproducing lifeform. A virus is just a piece of DNA (or RNA). A virus injects its DNA into a living cell and has that cell reproduce more of the viral DNA. With a virus there is nothing to "kill," so antibiotics don't work on it.
Antibiotics do not work on viruses because viruses are not alive. A bacterium is a living, reproducing lifeform. A virus is just a piece of DNA (or RNA). A virus injects its DNA into a living cell and has that cell reproduce more of the viral DNA. With a virus there is nothing to "kill," so antibiotics don't work on it.
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