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Preventing Cholera

CHOLERA AFFLICTS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE EACH YEAR IN AREAS WITHOUT SAFE DRINKING WATER, BUT NEW RESEARCH COULD HELP PREVENT OUTBREAKS, AS YOU’LL HEAR ON THIS ENVIRONMINUTE.

MICROBIOLOGIST RITA COLWELL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SAYS THAT THE BACTERIUM THAT CAUSES CHOLERA IS ASSOCIATED WITH ZOOPLANKTON FOUND IN THE SEA. 

THIS RELATIONSHIP MEANS RESEARCHERS CAN QUITE ACCURATELY PREDICT CHOLERA OUTBREAKS BY MEASURING FACTORS THAT AFFECT ZOOPLANKTON - THINGS LIKE SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE, CHLOROPHYLL, AND SEA SURFACE HEIGHT.

COLWELL: WHAT IT ALLOWS US TO DO IS TO BE PREEMPTIVE IN OUR MEDICAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACHES.

THIS MEANS ANTIBIOTICS CAN BE ADMINISTERED AT TIMES WHEN THEY ARE MOST EFFECTIVE.  AND WHEN THE CHOLERA-CAUSING BACTERIA ARE HIGH, PEOPLE CAN FILTER THEIR WATER WITH CLOTH.

COLWELL: IT’S MARSHALLING OUR RESOURCES FOR PUBLIC HEALTH IN A VERY DIRECTED AND EFFICIENT WAY.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM.     

Click here to read a presentation by Dr. Rita Colwell.

To read more about this and other environmental health issues, go to: www.environmentalhealthnews.org, www.ourstolenfuture.org, or www.healthandenvironment.org