Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Zimbabwe starts cholera vaccination drive

Zimbabwe launched a vaccination campaign against cholera on Monday, to rein in a worsening outbreak of the disease that the government said has killed more than 400 people.

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Cholera claims 23 lives in Ethiopia: charity

Cholera has claimed the lives of at least 23 people in eastern Ethiopia, an area hit by major flooding, Save the Children said Thursday, warning that the epidemic could become uncontrollable across the region.

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Cholera is an infection of the small intestine caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse, watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking water or eating food that has been contaminated by the feces of an infected person (even an asymptomatic one). The severity of the diarrhea and vomiting can lead to rapid dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, and death in some cases. The primary treatment is with oral rehydration solution (ORS) to replace water and electrolytes; if this is not tolerated or does not provide quick enough treatment, intravenous fluids can also be used. Antibiotics are beneficial in those with severe disease to shorten its duration and severity. Worldwide, it affects 3–5 million people and causes 100,000–130,000 deaths a year as of 2010[update]. Cholera was one of the earliest infections to be studied by epidemiological methods.

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