Cholera risk factors
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [2]
Overview
Choleria is a severe bacterial gastrointestinal, diarrheal disease. In its most severe forms, cholera is one of the most rapidly fatal illnesses known. A healthy person may become hypotensive within an hour of the onset of symptoms and may die within 2-3 hours if no treatment is provided. More commonly, the disease progresses from the first liquid stool to shock in 4-12 hours, with death following in 18 hours to several days without rehydration treatment.[1][2]
Risk factors
Blood group
- Recent epidemiologic research suggests that an individual's susceptibility to cholera (and other diarrheal infections) is affected by their blood type: Those with type O blood are the most susceptible,[3][4] while those with type AB are the most resistant. Between these two extremes are the A and B blood types, with type A being more resistant than type B.
Decreased gastric acidity
- As from the use of antacids)
Decreased Immunity
- A weakened immune system
- Malnourished.
Genetics
It has also been hypothesized that the cystic fibrosis genetic mutation has been maintained in humans due to a selective advantage: heterozygous carriers of the mutation (who are thus not affected by cystic fibrosis) are more resistant to V. cholerae infections.[5] In this model, the genetic deficiency in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator channel proteins interferes with bacteria binding to the gastrointestinal epithelium, thus reducing the effects of an infection.
References
- ↑ McLeod K (2000). "Our sense of Snow: John Snow in medical geography". Soc Sci Med. 50 (7–8): 923–35. PMID 10714917.
- ↑ WHO Cholera [1]
- ↑ Swerdlow D, Mintz E, Rodriguez M, Tejada E, Ocampo C, Espejo L, Barrett T, Petzelt J, Bean N, Seminario L (1994). "Severe life-threatening cholera associated with blood group O in Peru: implications for the Latin American epidemic". J Infect Dis. 170 (2): 468–72. PMID 8035040.
- ↑ Harris J, Khan A, LaRocque R, Dorer D, Chowdhury F, Faruque A, Sack D, Ryan E, Qadri F, Calderwood S (2005). "Blood group, immunity, and risk of infection with Vibrio cholerae in an area of endemicity". Infect Immun. 73 (11): 7422–7. PMID 16239542.
- ↑ Bertranpetit J, Calafell F (1996). "Genetic and geographical variability in cystic fibrosis: evolutionary considerations". Ciba Found Symp. 197: 97–114, discussion 114-8. PMID 8827370.