The Impact of Cholera in Zambia, Africa
Many people in advanced industrialized nations are often unaware of infectious diseases that plague underdeveloped countries. This is primarily due to factors that are so often taken for granted like having proper sanitation, adequately treated water, properly prepared food, easy access to medical care, and economic viability. The sad truth is that many of these infectious diseases could easily be prevented if the countries where they run most rampant had only a few of the factors mentioned above. The concentration of this paper will be to focus on one such disease named Cholera and its impact on the country of Zambia, Africa.
In order to adequately discuss Cholera's impact on Zambia, Africa I will be providing an overview of the disease, discussing it's etiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, and finally its prevention and treatment.
Disease Overview
Cholera is still an extremely significant disease worldwide with over 5 million cases being reported per year (Ruiting & Reeves, 2002). Cholera is a diarrheal illness that progresses rapidly and is contracted by ingesting the bacterium Vibrio cholerae which causes an intestinal infection (CDC, 2013). In many cases the illness is mild with hardly any symptoms at all, but in some cases it can become severe. Approximately 5 percent of people who are infected exhibit severe symptoms such as extreme watery diarrhea, leg cramps, and vomiting (CDC, 2013). These symptoms usually occur at a rapid pace and unless treated can further lead to dehydration and shock which can ultimately cause death within hours. It is estimated that over 100,000 deaths occur each year around the world due to Cholera. (CDC, 2013)
Cholera is thought by exper...
... middle of paper ...
... edition. Cholera, Vibrio cholerae O1 and O139, and Other Pathogenic Vibrios. Chapter 24. [Classis Bookshelf version]. Retrieved March 23, 2014, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK8407/
Ruiting, L. & Reeves, P.R. (2002). Pandemic Spread of Cholera: Genetic Diversity and Relationships within the Seventh Pandemic Clone of Vibrio cholerae Determined by Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, (40), 172- 181. Retrieved March 23, 2014, from http://jcm.asm.org/content/40/1/172.long
United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF). (2010). Disaster Management in Zambia: Unicef's role. Retrieved March 24, 2014, from http://www.unicef.org/zambia/cross_cutting.html
World Health Organization (WHO). (2014). Cholera fact sheet. Retrieved March 24, 2014, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs107/en/
Salmonella is one of the most common food-borne diseases that attack an enormous amount of people in poor countries every year. It is shown that “Today, it still attacks some 17 million people in poor countries each year, and kills about 600,000 of them. Back before antibiotics such as chloramphenicol, typhoid was very much feared” (Trek 1). Despite the advance in technology and medicine, Salmonella is
As many children around the world attend a privileged school everyday, the idea of missing school due to water-borne illness never crosses their mind, yet for those in less fortunate countries, it is a gift to have the strength and health to attend school on a regular basis. Sickness there is common and many times, water is the cause. “Education is lost to sickness. Economic development is lost while people merely try to survive” (The World Project).
Malaria is a deadly disease that is transmitted to humans via bites from infected female mosquitos carrying malaria parasites. People who develop the disease often become “very sick with high fever, shaking chills, and flu-like symptoms” (CDC). According to National Geographic, "malaria now affects more people than ever before. It's endemic to 106 nations, threatening half the world's population…This year malaria will strike up to a half billion people. At least a million will die, most of them under age five, the vast majority living in Africa,” (National Geographic). The high concentration of malaria-afflicted citizens in Africa can be attributed to the conducive climate for mosquitos, the sheer number of mosquitos, and most importantly, the inability for many countries to sustain enough anti-malarial resources, medical care, and preventative measu...
Johnson (2006) presents the terrifying reality of the cholera outbreak during the summer of 1854 in London. London was the largest city in the world at the time and because of overpopulation the city had major sewage problems. The drinking water was being mixed with the sewage waste and the people had no idea that the water they were drinking was contaminated. The outbreak, began when baby Lewis’s waste was tossed into a cesspool that eventually mixed with the Broad Street pump. During this horrible time two men stood out as they tried to find the genuine reason for the outbreak. The two men that contributed to the discovery of the cause of cholera were John Snow and Henry Whitehead. John Snow was a well-known physician in London, and he was
According to the World Health Organization, the reason why there are many Ebola outbreaks in West Africa is because they have “very weak health systems, lacking human and infrastructural resources, having only recently emerged from long periods of conflict and instability.” A hum...
By the year 2000, 58 million people have been infected by HIV/AIDS and alarming numbers such as 22 million would have already died. And the epidemic continues to spread. HIV/AIDS historically is considered to be one of the longest running worldwide epidemics that we have ever seen, and figures cannot be placed on the true death tolls or estimation of the damage as the cycle still is yet to reach an end (Whiteside 2002). With Africa being the worst hit continent in the world in terms of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the severity of it’s prevalence; one can only begin to question whether HIV/AIDS and poverty and directly connected or the inter-linkages exacerbate one or the other. This paper aims to argue that HIV/AIDS is a manifestation of poverty, and simultaneously poverty contributes to growing HIV/AIDS epidemic. Development in response both to poverty reduction and to HIV/AIDS is complicated when both have multi-dimensional and multi-faceted impacts on a society, whether it be social, economic or human development impacts. This paper will argue that pre-existing socio economic conditions within a country such as high levels of poverty, poor sanitation, malnutrition, environmental degradation and poor public healthcare systems and limited access to preventative care are crucial factors in contributing to the transfer of the infection (Pasteur: 2000, Mann: 1999).
Nearly 50,000 people, including 30,000 children, die each day due to poverty-related problems and preventable disease in underdeveloped Countries. That doesn’t include the other millions of people who are infected with AIDS and other incurable diseases. Especially those living in Sub-Saharan Africa (70%), or “the Third-World,” and while we fight to finish our homework, children in Africa fight to survive without food, or clean water. During the next few paragraphs I will give proof that poverty and disease are the two greatest challenges facing under developed countries.
Salmonella typhoid bacteria have over 100 strains in the world today. Most cause illness in humans, but only a few of those strains cause the illness Typhoid Fever (Pike, 2014). Typhoid is a bacterium that has been very devastating to the human race for centuries. Typhoid thrives in undeveloped countries and countries with high populations and poor sanitation procedures. But, it is still a relevant disease here in the United States because of its ease of spread once someone is infected (Pollack, 2003). Antibiotic treatment is usually successful when treating Typhoid Fever, but it still has the ability to cause death, even with treatment of advanced medicine and antibiotics. When one thinks of salmonella, they will most commonly think of a food borne illness (food poisoning symptoms) caused by eating raw or undercooked animal products such as undercooked chicken or pork. That is the effect of some strains of the bacteria, but not the one that causes typhoid fever (Pike, 2014).
Dr. S.M. Shamim ul Moula, “Fighting Disease” May 9, 2001 African Networks for health research and development; retrieved Dec. 9, 2003 http://www.afronets.org/archive/200105/msg00035.php
Cholera is a disease caused by the cholera bacterium Vibrio cholerae infecting the intestines. Usually, the illness is mild, and for some, symptoms of cholera never even present, but sometimes, the disease can also be severe. A severe case of cholera is “characterized by profuse watery diarrhea, vomiting, and leg cramps. In these persons, rapid loss of body fluids leads to dehydration and shock. Without treatment, death can occur within hours” (Cholera Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment). Normally, in a gentler case of cholera, the infected person only has mild diarrhea. “In 5-10% of cases, however, patients develop very severe watery diarrhea and vomiting from 6 hours to 5 days after exposure to the bacterium. In these cases, the loss of large amounts of fluids can rapidly lead to severe dehydration. In the absence of adequate treatment, death can occur within hours” (Cholera Symptoms, Ca...
Produced by the bacteria, vibrio cholerae that creates a toxin that affects the absorption of water in the small intestine, Cholera is an infectious disease. The majority of the bacteria is wiped out by gastric acid when ingested, while the surviving bacteria settle in the small intestine and begin making the toxin that produces the symptoms of Cholera. The toxin created by the bacteria, Vibrio Cholerae, is a exotoxin. Vibrio Cholerae is a member of the Vibrionaceae family of curved gram-negative rods. They are found in coastal waters and estuaries, and tend to grow best in the company of salt. However, they can develope in lower salinity when it is warmer and contains sufficient organic materials. (Harris, LaRocque, Qadri, Ryan, Calderwood/ 2012)
After earning their degree, many epidemiologists travel to third world countries and cities, such as Zimbabwe, to observe major epidemics in the area and combat the afflictions. By doing this, they put themselves at risk of contracting the very diseases th...
London, England. The.. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine n.d., Session 5: The role of the state. in global health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, England. Ricci J.
Although preventive measures can be taken, over 21.5 million people annually become infected with Typhoid fever. In particular, areas with poor sanitation of water report higher rates of this disease. Typhoid fever is spread through contaminated water sources, making underdeveloped countries vulnerable to the infection.
Another problem for people of Africa is clear access to clean water. Clean drinking water is very rare for the people of Africa. Unclean water and sanitation problem leads to many diseases in African countries. Main problem which occurs due to unclean water is child morality. Around 2000 children’s die from diarrhoea which spread due to poor sanitatio...