Cholera - The Grim Reality of Under-development

Cholera is a severe diarrhoeal illness caused by certain strains of Vibrio cholerae, which can lead rapidly to dehydration and death. Communities dependent on water contaminated with human faeces and those with poor sanitation are very vulnerable to cholera epidemics. Although theVibrio cholerae Ol...

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Main Authors: D.N. Durrheim, G.A. Ogunbanjo, L. Blumberg, K.H. Keddy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 2001-02-01
Series:South African Family Practice
Subjects:
Online Access:https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/2128
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author D.N. Durrheim
G.A. Ogunbanjo
L. Blumberg
K.H. Keddy
author_facet D.N. Durrheim
G.A. Ogunbanjo
L. Blumberg
K.H. Keddy
author_sort D.N. Durrheim
collection DOAJ
description Cholera is a severe diarrhoeal illness caused by certain strains of Vibrio cholerae, which can lead rapidly to dehydration and death. Communities dependent on water contaminated with human faeces and those with poor sanitation are very vulnerable to cholera epidemics. Although theVibrio cholerae Ol El Tor strain presently circulating in southern Africa is multi-drug resistant and currently available vaccines offer inadequate proteccion, cholera can be pre-vented by simple cost-effective measures, including chlorination or sustained boiling of drinking water. The key to cholera management is aggressive fluid replacement with the correct fluids. The latter strategy is so effective that a cholera death may be viewed as a health system failure deserving formal review. The only sustainable solution to the scourge of cholera is fundamental economic and social development with the provision of safe water and adequate sanitation for all communities.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2078-6190
2078-6204
language English
publishDate 2001-02-01
publisher AOSIS
record_format Article
series South African Family Practice
spelling doaj-art-6e72ac65239849d1a45fcdda0b53a9ed2025-08-20T04:03:17ZengAOSISSouth African Family Practice2078-61902078-62042001-02-0123210.4102/safp.v23i2.21281672Cholera - The Grim Reality of Under-developmentD.N. Durrheim0G.A. Ogunbanjo1L. Blumberg2K.H. Keddy3Mpumalanga Department of Health, NelspruitMEDUNSAUniversity of the WitwatersrandUniversity of the WitwatersrandCholera is a severe diarrhoeal illness caused by certain strains of Vibrio cholerae, which can lead rapidly to dehydration and death. Communities dependent on water contaminated with human faeces and those with poor sanitation are very vulnerable to cholera epidemics. Although theVibrio cholerae Ol El Tor strain presently circulating in southern Africa is multi-drug resistant and currently available vaccines offer inadequate proteccion, cholera can be pre-vented by simple cost-effective measures, including chlorination or sustained boiling of drinking water. The key to cholera management is aggressive fluid replacement with the correct fluids. The latter strategy is so effective that a cholera death may be viewed as a health system failure deserving formal review. The only sustainable solution to the scourge of cholera is fundamental economic and social development with the provision of safe water and adequate sanitation for all communities.https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/2128vibrio choleraecholeradiagnosisrehydrationmultidrug resistancevaccination
spellingShingle D.N. Durrheim
G.A. Ogunbanjo
L. Blumberg
K.H. Keddy
Cholera - The Grim Reality of Under-development
South African Family Practice
vibrio cholerae
cholera
diagnosis
rehydration
multidrug resistance
vaccination
title Cholera - The Grim Reality of Under-development
title_full Cholera - The Grim Reality of Under-development
title_fullStr Cholera - The Grim Reality of Under-development
title_full_unstemmed Cholera - The Grim Reality of Under-development
title_short Cholera - The Grim Reality of Under-development
title_sort cholera the grim reality of under development
topic vibrio cholerae
cholera
diagnosis
rehydration
multidrug resistance
vaccination
url https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/2128
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AT gaogunbanjo cholerathegrimrealityofunderdevelopment
AT lblumberg cholerathegrimrealityofunderdevelopment
AT khkeddy cholerathegrimrealityofunderdevelopment