Cholera has claimed six lives in Lagos following a fresh outbreak of the disease, while 39 other persons who contracted the food and water-borne infection are under observation.
The infection can be fatal, especially when the infected individual does not get earlier medical attention.
Against the backdrop of this fresh epidemic, it is necessary we discuss about its symptoms. If you have been having headaches, stooling and vomiting in the last 16 hours and you reside around Isolo area of Lagos where the outbreak has been reported, you may need to visit the nearest health centre.
Cholera is an infectious disease that causes severe dehydration, diarrhoea and it can lead to death. It is caused by eating food or drinking water that has been contaminated with a bacterium called Vibrio cholerae.
The disease is prevalent in countries, states and regions were access to safe water is a challenge and good sewage treatment system is a luxury. It is also a disease of developing countries like Nigeria.
According to statistics by the World Health Organisation, of the three to five million cases of cholera infections recorded each year, only 10 cases occur in the United States and five of such cases are people who come from abroad.
The global body notes that more than 70 per cent of cholera cases are recorded in Africa, Mexico and a few parts of Asia.
In Nigeria, only 60 million out of the 160 million people in the country have access to safe drinking water. The reality in most states in the country, especially Lagos is that the residents not the government provide the water that they use.
Water and Irrigation expert, Dr. Sunday Olanipekun, says the danger where people are left to source water on their own is that its quality may be compromised thereby increasing their chances of contracting diseases such as cholera.
Olanipekun states, “When the government has funds, personnel and other wherewithal to treat water from the source, it would be easier to control quality and detect any contamination. This is because it is the sole provider. If water comes from a controlled source, one can easily control the outbreak of water-borne disease.
“But when individuals are given the choice of where to get their water, they will weigh it from the economic point of view. Some may use contaminated water from river or streams without treating it.”
Olanipekun says that to reduce deaths and morbidity that Nigeria records yearly from cholera outbreaks, the government and citizens must adopt policy, behavioural and lifestyle changes.
He notes that to prevent outbreaks of cholera in the future, measure should be taken to control the transmission of the disease.
Cholera bacteria and contaminated food
For instance, more that 80 per cent of the victims had eaten contaminated food. According to the Lagos State Government, its investigation revealed that those affected contracted the infections from the African food salad popularly called Abacha and well-water sources.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris says, “The main suspected source of infection is the salad called Abacha, a staple food that is consumed regularly in the area. Samples of the local salad and the well water they consume in the area revealed the presence of vibrio cholerae, Salmonella species and E.coli inAbacha and the water sample taken from one of the two wells in the area.”
Raw and unpeeled fruits and vegetables are a frequent source of cholera infection in areas where the disease is endemic. In developing nations, uncomposted manure fertilisers or irrigation water containing raw sewage can contaminate produce in the field.
Seafood
Eating raw or undercooked seafood, especially shellfish that originates from certain locations can expose you to cholera bacteria. Most recent cases of cholera have been traced to seafood from the Gulf of Mexico.
Grains
In regions where cholera is widespread, contaminated grains such as cooked rice and millet that remain at room temperature for several hours become a medium for the growth of cholera bacteria.
Finally, the onus to protect ourselves from this life-threatening infection lies on us. This is not the time to eat or drink anything without know its source.
Mode of transmission
When humans ingest cholera bacteria from untreated water, they may not become sick themselves, but they still pass the bacteria in their stool. When human faeces contaminate food or water supplies, both can serve as ideal breeding grounds for the cholera bacteria.
Because more than a million cholera bacteria – approximately the amount you would find in a glass of contaminated water – are needed to cause illness, cholera usually is not transmitted through casual person-to-person contact.
The most common sources of cholera infection are standing water and certain types of food, including seafood, raw fruits and vegetables, and grains.
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