Friday, Jun 24, 2005
Friday, Jun 24, 2005 |
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Bangalore
Divya Ramamurthi
NO INJECTIONS PLEASE: A girl being carried to Endemic Diseases Hospital Bangalore. The hospital receives about eight cases of gastroenteritis every day. — Photo: K. Gopinathan
BANGALORE: Thirteen cases of cholera have been confirmed after laboratory tests at the Epidemics Disease Hospital here this month. The infected persons, mostly adults, belong to slums near Whitefield, Hennur, ISRO Quarters, L.R. Nagar and Bandappa Colony. Three persons, who tested positive on Thursday, are still at the hospital while the rest have been discharged. Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by the bacterium, vibrio cholerae. The bacterium has a short incubation period, from less than a day to five days, and produces an enterotoxin that causes copious, painless watery diarrhoea that can lead to dehydration. Vomiting occurs in most patients.
No need for alarm
Dr. Veeresh Sharma, Director of the Epidemics Disease Hospital, said there is no need for alarm. "Every day, several slum dwellers from these areas come to the hospital with complaints of diarrhoea and vomiting. We admit at least eight of them for gastroenteritis. Only a few of these cases are have been infected by cholera bacterium. The incidence of cholera reported this year is not high," he said. In hospitals throughout the city, the doctors said, at least five cases of gastroenteritis are admitted every day. This year 21 cases of cholera have been confirmed at the Epidemics Disease Hospital, including 13 cases this month. In February and May, three cases of cholera each were confirmed and in March two persons tested positive for the disease. The increase in incidence this month is because of rains that contaminate water, doctors say.
Contaminated water
Dr. Sharma said an examination of patient data confirmed that 80 per cent of the infections were caused by impure water. In many areas, lack of adequate supply of good water as well as poor personal hygiene led to infection. "Drinking water, faeces and sewage get mixed in these areas after rains. This leads to greater chances of a person becoming infected with bacteria," he said. The other 20 per cent of the infections were caused by the consumption of food from footpaths. "Some of these food items are out on footpaths for three hours, taking in all the dirt and attracting all flies," said Dr. Sharma. He suggested that people should boil water for half-an-hour at 100 degrees centigrade to kill the germs in it.
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