A case of cholera has occurred at Wuhan University! What is cholera? How to prevent it? 10 hot questions and answers

At about 11:00 today, the Health and Health Bureau of Wuchang District, Wuhan City, Hubei Province reported: On the evening of July 9, the district's CDC received a report from the hospital that a case of infectious diarrhea had occurred at Wuhan University, which was diagnosed as cholera after review by the provincial, municipal and district CDCs. After effective diagnosis and treatment, the patient's condition has been controlled and the symptoms have disappeared.

Source: @People's Daily

This afternoon, Wuhan University answered reporters' questions based on the relevant circumstances of the case:

The case is a graduate student of Wuhan University, living in Dormitory 8 of the School of Engineering. At present, the student has been transferred to Wuhan University People's Hospital for isolation and treatment in accordance with relevant requirements.

On July 9, it was determined that the student had close contacts with three people (two roommates and one person who shared a meal with him), and they have been transferred to the school isolation point for centralized quarantine.

At present, all aspects of Wuhan University are in good order and work is proceeding normally.

What is cholera? Who is more likely to get cholera? When is cholera most common?

01

What is cholera?

Cholera is an acute intestinal infectious disease caused by Vibrio cholerae O1 or O139. It is characterized by rapid onset, rapid spread, and wide impact. It is one of the two Class A infectious diseases stipulated in my country's "Law on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases" and one of the three infectious diseases subject to international quarantine under the "International Health Quarantine Regulations."

Vibrio cholerae can be divided into more than 200 O serogroups based on the difference in bacterial (O) antigens, but only O1 and O139 serogroups have been found to cause cholera. O1 serogroup Vibrio cholerae includes two biotypes: the classical biotype and the El Tor biotype, both of which are further divided into three serotypes: Inaba, Ogawa, and Hikoshima (rare). O1 and O139 serogroups can be divided into toxin-producing strains and non-toxin-producing strains.

02

What is the source of infection of cholera?

Cholera patients or carriers are the sources of cholera infection.

03

What are the symptoms of cholera infection?

In most cases, the infection causes only mild diarrhea or no symptoms at all, with typical symptoms being severe painless watery diarrhea, with severe cases of diarrhea more than a dozen times a day. If cholera is not treated promptly or appropriately, it can cause severe dehydration and lead to death.

04

Who is susceptible to cholera?

The general population is susceptible, and those who lack gastric acid are particularly susceptible.

05

When is it easy to get cholera?

Cholera is prevalent in our country from March to November, with the peak period from June to September.

06

What is the incubation period and infectious period of cholera?

The incubation period is from a few hours to 5 days, usually 2 to 3 days. The patient is contagious during the period of positive stool, usually until a few days after recovery. Occasionally, the carrier period lasts for several months. Antimicrobial drugs effective against Vibrio cholerae can shorten the infectious period.

07

How do you know you have cholera?

If you have diarrhea, especially severe, painless, watery diarrhea, you should go to the hospital immediately and have a culture test for Vibrio cholerae. People who have eaten with or had close contact with a cholera infected person should also have their stool or anal swabs collected to determine if they are infected. If you are in a cholera epidemic area or have recently been to a cholera epidemic area and have diarrhea, you should go to the hospital immediately and have your stool collected for cholera bacteriological examination.

08

What should I do if I get cholera?

Cholera is highly contagious. Once a person is found to be infected with cholera, whether it is a mild case or a carrier, they should be isolated and treated. Isolation can only be lifted when cholera symptoms disappear, antibacterial drugs are stopped, and no Vibrio cholerae is detected in stool culture for two consecutive days. Failure to accept isolation treatment after being infected with cholera is a violation of the "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases". In addition, patients and carriers should cooperate with the staff of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct epidemiological surveys, sampling of close contacts, and disinfection of epidemic sites at home.

09

How is cholera spread?

Cholera can be transmitted by drinking or eating unsterilized water or food infected with Vibrio cholerae, by contacting hands and objects contaminated by the excrement of cholera patients or carriers, and by eating food contaminated by flies.

10

How can the public prevent cholera?

The method of preventing cholera is relatively simple. It mainly means "keeping a closed mouth" to prevent diseases from entering the body through the mouth.

Five musts: wash hands before meals and after defecation, cook purchased seafood thoroughly, reheat leftover food thoroughly, keep raw and cooked food separate, and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.

Five things not to do: Do ​​not drink unboiled water, do not patronize unlicensed restaurants, do not eat rotten food, do not overeat, and do not touch unsterilized (cholera-contaminated) items.

Source: Science Popularization China WeChat Official Account