Symptoms and Treatment of Cholera. By Geniusofdespair

With cholera spreading in Haiti, I thought I would print the symptoms and treatment (cholera is spread by ingesting contaminated food or water):

* Abdominal cramps
* Dry mucus membranes or mouth
* Dry skin
* Excessive thirst
* Glassy or sunken eyes
* Lack of tears
* Lethargy
* Low urine output
* Nausea
* Rapid dehydration
* Rapid pulse (heart rate)
* Sunken "soft spots" (fontanelles) in infants
* Unusual sleepiness or tiredness
* Vomiting
* Watery diarrhea that starts suddenly
o Diarrhea has a "fishy" odor
o Stool looks like water with flecks of rice in it

According to the Mayo Clinic, here is the treatment:

Cholera requires immediate treatment because the disease can cause death within hours.

* Rehydration. The goal is to replace fluids and electrolytes lost through diarrhea using a simple rehydration solution, Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS), that contains specific proportions of water, salts and sugar. The ORS solution is available as a powder that can be reconstituted in boiled or bottled water. Without rehydration, approximately half the people with cholera die. With treatment, the number of fatalities drops to less than 1 percent.
* Intravenous fluids. During a cholera epidemic, most people can be helped by oral rehydration alone, but severely dehydrated people may also need intravenous fluids.
* Antibiotics. Recent studies show that a single dose of azithromycin (Zithromax, Zmax) in adults or children with severe cholera helps shorten diarrhea duration and decreases vomiting.
* Zinc supplements. Research has shown that zinc may decrease and shorten the duration of diarrhea in children with cholera.