Drinking Iced Tea Can Up Risk of Cholera in Endemic Countries

The World Health Organisation describes cholera as an "acute diarrheal disease that can kill within hours if left untreated." Some of the most common triggers of cholera is indigestion of water or food that is infected by a bacteria called vibrio cholera. In a recently conducted study, experts from Vietnam suggest iced tea consumption and unboiled water to increase risk of cholera in endemic countries. A water source situated close to a toilet was also found to be a contributory factor.

"After over a decade of declining cholera incidence, Vietnam faced an increase in cases of the diarrheal disease during 2007-2010, researchers said," Press Trust of India. Experts interviewed those who suffered from the disease and found that living with others who have diarrhea and having little or no education was also associated with an increased risk of cholera. Drinking stored rainwater, eating cooked seafood or steamed vegetables were protective against the disease.

As much as 22% of people with cholera reported drinking iced tea in the week prior to their disease, whereas only 3% of controls had drank iced tea in the week before being interviewed.

Facts about cholera

- There are 1.3 to 4.0 million cases of cholera every year.

- The bacterial disease, cholera1, kills 21 000 to 143 000 people globally.

- Most patients are successfully treated with oral rehydration solution.

- Severe cases need rapid treatment with intravenous fluids and antibiotics.

Symptoms

Cholera may take 12 hours to 5 days to manifest itself in symptoms. In some cases, like in V. cholera, people may not develop any symptoms at all. However, some of the most common symptoms include watery diarrhea and dehydration.

Cholera is a water-borne disease therefore safe water and sanitation is critical to control the disease.