Cholera

Symptoms of severe cholera might seem clear-cut in areas where it's common. But the only way to find out for sure if you have it is with a test of your stool.

Rapid cholera dipstick tests let healthcare professionals in remote areas quickly confirm whether someone has cholera. The speed of the test helps lower death rates at the start of cholera outbreaks. And it leads to earlier public health measures for outbreak control.

Cholera needs to be treated right away because the disease can cause death within hours. Treatments include:

• Rehydration. The goal is to replace lost fluids and electrolytes using a simple rehydration solution, oral rehydration salts (ORS). The ORS solution is available as a powder that can be made with boiled or bottled water.

  Without treatment, up to half of people with serious bouts of cholera could die. With treatment, deaths drop to less than 1%.

• Fluids through a vein. You might hear these called intravenous (IV) fluids. Most people with cholera can be helped by oral rehydration alone. But badly dehydrated people also might need IV fluids.
• Antibiotics. These are medicines that help clear up infections caused by bacteria. They're not a necessary part of cholera treatment. But some antibiotics can help treat cholera-related diarrhea and shorten how long it lasts in very ill people.
• Zinc supplements. Research has shown that zinc might lessen diarrhea and shorten how long it lasts in children with cholera.

If you are in or have very recently returned from a country where cholera occurs, be aware of the symptoms. Get medical care right away if you have serious diarrhea or vomiting.

If you think you've been exposed to cholera, but your symptoms are not serious, call your family healthcare professional. Be sure to say that you think your illness may be cholera.

Here's some information to help you get ready for your checkup.

When you make your appointment, ask if there are restrictions you need to follow before your visit.

Make a list of:

• Your symptoms. Include when they began and how serious they are.
• Any recent exposures to possible sources of infection. This is key if you've traveled abroad recently.
• Key medical information. Include any other conditions for which you're being treated.
• All medicines, vitamins or other supplements you take. Include the amounts you take, also called the doses.
• Questions to ask your healthcare professional.

Some questions to ask your healthcare professional about cholera include:

• Are there other conditions that might be the cause of my symptoms?
• What tests do I need?
• What treatment do you recommend?
• How soon after I start treatment will I begin to feel better?
• How long do you expect a full recovery to take?
• When can I return to work or school?
• Am I at risk of any long-term problems from cholera?
• Am I contagious? How can I lower my risk of passing my illness to others?

What to expect from your doctor

Your healthcare professional likely will ask questions such as:

• Have you had watery diarrhea? How bad is it?
• Is there anything else unusual about the way your stools look?
• Have you been vomiting?
• Have you had symptoms of dehydration, such as intense thirst, muscle cramps or fatigue?
• Have you been able to keep down any food or liquid?
• Have you recently eaten raw shellfish, such as oysters?
• Are you pregnant?
• What is your blood type, if you know?

What you can do in the meantime

Stay well hydrated. For diarrhea and vomiting that may be cholera-related, use an oral rehydration solution.

In most developing countries, you can buy powdered packets of oral rehydration salts (ORS). These originally were developed by the World Health Organization to treat diarrhea and dehydration in infants with cholera. Stir the powder into clean drinking or boiled water according to the package directions.

If no oral rehydration solutions are available, you can make your own. Combine the following:

• 1 quart (about 1 liter) of bottled or boiled water.
• 6 level teaspoons (about 30 milliliters) of table sugar.
• 1/2 level teaspoon (about 2.5 milliliters) of table salt.