The University of Oregon campus has been hit with crisis! Campus officials began receiving news of several students and faculty members dying of a mysterious illness approximately two weeks ago. It was later discovered that the disease was known as cholera, but there was little information regarding where the source of it could have been. This is critical information to know as the deaths will keep happening if it is not contained as soon as possible. As more and more people affiliated with the school began passing from this devastating disease, geography students began collecting information for analysis in order to determine where the disease could have begun. This website displays the several maps and information sources that were used in identifying the source of the outbreak.
Author Archives: whoward
What is Cholera?
Cholera is an acute, diarrheal disease that can have severe symptoms and can lead to death in extreme cases. It is very infectious, but has a relatively low possibility of symptoms forming as a result of infection with only 20% of those infected by the bacteria develop symptoms2. That being said the bacteria is aggressive and can kill within hours if left untreated.
The bacteria that causes cholera, Vibrio cholerae1, is born in contaminated water sources, and so areas with poor infrastructure or ongoing, disruptive construction are at risk having a cholera outbreak.
In the event of a cholera outbreak, it is essential for proper infrastructure to clean and contain contaminated sources of water is essential as the outbreak will likely continue as long as people have contact with the contaminated source2. It is also highly treatable, and so many who contract the disease will be alright as long as they identify the symptoms early and get proper medical care.
The symptoms of cholera are as follows1:
- Profuse watery diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Loss of skin elasticity
- Dry mucous membranes
- Low blood pressure
- Thirst
- Muscle cramps
- Restlessness or irritability
References and More Information
1. http://www.cdc.gov/cholera/index.html
2. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs107/en/