Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is a virus (infection) that causes the liver inflammation.
Understanding how the liver works in one's body reflects the way the virus will follow course throughout the body. The liver removes harmful chemical from ones blood, contributes to digesting food, helps to store nutrients, energy and vitamins, and fights infections.
The larger portion of the human population that attains Hepatitis A are largely from developing countries, the use of illegal drugs/noninjection drugs, sexual relations with an infected person or male sexual relations.
To reveal Hepatitis A, blood tests are taken and
sent off to a lab for testing. With treatment, doctors prescribe medicines
(most likely something over-the-counter). Symptoms of Hepatitis A may last up
to six months and treatments usually last for a few weeks. After the body
recovers for Hepatitis A, it's less prone to catching it again;
although the likelihood of obtaining other kinds of Hepatitis' are equally
contributed to one another.
Although Hepatitis A is mostly found in developing
countries, it's still found throughout the world. If there's a safe source of
water, including private wells, that are driven away from feces from infected
humans, Hepatitis A can be contained. Water can potentially carry and spread
the Hepatitis A virus. This can be through sewage overflows, polluted storm
water runoff, ect. Killing Hepatitis A from water is done through boiling it
for about a minute or longer. Sanitized containers with a tight cover that are
refrigerated after the water has been boiled, will lessen the chance of
catching Hepatitis A if the water can been contaminated. The virus is too small
to use just a filter to remove it from the water. Adequate chlorination and
kills off the Hepatitis A virus.
The best way to check for the safety of one's water
is to test it at least once a year, after disinfection, that way there is no
problem to fix.
E.
coli
E. coli, or Escherichia coli, is a type of bacteria
that can be found in the environment, foods, and the intestines of people and
animals.
E. coli can
be harmful, however, most are harmless and play an important role in human
intestinal tract. For example. There is E. coli found in drinking water that
are not harmful, and only act as indicators as to whether or not the water is
fatally contaminated. However, the harmful E. coli can cause illness and are
referred to as being pathogenic. A common symptom of E. coli is diarrhea, which
the E. coli that causes this symptom is transmitted through contaminated water
or food, or through animal or human contact. Other symptoms include urinary
tract infections, respiratory illness, bloodstream infections, and other
illnesses.
During rainfalls, snow melts, or other types of
precipitation, human and animal wastes can be washed into creeks, rivers,
streams, lakes, or ground water, which carry the E. coli pathogen. After this
occurs, this water is not treated properly and is ingested with the harmful
bacteria.
Illness caused be harmful E. coli has no current
treatment that can cure the infection, relieve symptoms, or prevent
complications. The best solution is to rest and drink many clear liquids to
prevent dehydration and fatigue because this will help your body get rid of the
toxins. Meanwhile, do not take anti-diarrheal medication because this slows
digestive system down, in return slowing down and preventing your body to get
rid of E. coli toxins, and slowly work up to eating full meals, beginning by
sticking with low-fiber foods.
Cholera
Cholera, an infectious
and usually fatal, is a bacterial disease that occurs in the small intestine.
It is often contracted from infected water supplies and it causes severe
diarrhea and vomiting. Although the disease is considered acute, it can kill
within hours if not properly treated.
This disease is cause
by the bacterium Vibrio Cholerae which is usually found in food or water
contaminated by the feces of someone who is already infected. The most common
sources of this bacterium are unclean water supplies, food and drink sold by
street vendors, vegetables grown with water containing human wastes, and raw or
undercooked seafood caught in waters polluted by sewage.
The disease can be
spread through infected fish and shellfish living in contaminated water.
Because shellfish filter large quantities of water, they are concentration
centers for the bacterium. Cholera can also spread through other life forms in
waterways such as algae, which can be found on coastlines, where people are
too, further risking the chance to be infected.
Every year there are an
estimated 3-5 million cholera cases and 100,000-120,000 deaths due to cholera.
These staggering numbers pose the important question of how to rid this
bacterium from our water sources. Provision of safe water and sanitation is the
most important thing to be done to reduce the impact of cholera and other
waterborne diseases. Proper sewage systems in towns, and proper water treatment
plant precautions can mostly eliminate the bacterium out of the water supply.
Once someone has contracted cholera, the illness is most commonly treated with
re-hydration salts as the diarrhea and vomiting cause one to loose most fluids.
Oral vaccinations are also considered to be another means of controlling
cholera but are not meant to take the place of conventional measures.
http://www.cdc.gov/features/ecoliinfection/
http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/e-coli/ds01007/method=print&dsection=all
Waht is the real killer when someone is infected with cholera?
ReplyDeleteDehydration caused by the rapid loss of bodily fluids through diarrhea and vomiting.
DeleteMost fatalities are caused by the severe dehydration that is induced from the diarrhea and vomiting. Where is cholera most commonly diagnosed in the world?
ReplyDeleteAccording to the CDC, many people are diagnosed with cholera after eating undercooked meat in areas such as the Gulf of Mexico.
DeleteGood analysis of how hepatitis A can be removed, and good comparisons of E.coli
ReplyDeleteWhat are exactly oral vaccinations relating to the treatment of cholera?
ReplyDeleteThe oral vaccinations included large amounts of the solution created by a prepackaged mixture of sugars and salts, mixed with large amounts of water.
DeleteIf someone were to obtain cholera, since it can be fatal, how can one prevent it from hitting the stage of death?
ReplyDeleteOne can prevent death from cholera by immediate rehydration and replacement of salts and fluids lost from diarrhea. An oral rehydration solution, a mixture of prepackaged salt and sugar added with water, can be used. With immediate rehydration and use of the solution and plenty of water, fewer than 1% of patients die from the cholera.
DeleteVERY QUICK medical attention is he way to help those infected with cholera. So many children die from the dehydration that accompanies cholera.
ReplyDeleteWhy children? Are they more vulnerable than adults that are infected?
DeleteWhile both children and adults are seriously affected by cholera, children, and especially malnourished children, have weaker immune systems and are more vulnerable. In addition to children, humans (in general) that are infected with the HIV virus are more vulnerable to cholera because of their virus-affected immune systems,
DeleteWhat are some of the provisions of safe water and sanitation to reduce the impact of cholera and other waterborne illnesses? Are these 100%?
ReplyDeleteA quick example could be the distribution of the packets, as shown by the speaker from P&G today. The Red Cross website has instructions to purify water, though those are obviously not accessed in third world countries. Liquid chlorine bleach is used commonly and can be distributed.
DeleteThere was a pretty sizable E. coli outbreak in the US a few months ago that even had six cases in Ohio and 2 in Indiana. Are there tests to measure the presence of E. coli in foods or drinking water to prevent epidemic?
ReplyDelete