The document titled "Prevención y control del cólera" (Cholera Prevention and Control) provides essential guidance on preventing and managing cholera, a disease characterized by severe watery diarrhea and vomiting. Without prompt treatment, cholera can lead to death due to dehydration within hours.... The disease is primarily transmitted through the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person.
To protect against cholera and other diarrheal diseases, the document emphasizes the importance of drinking safe water, such as bottled water with intact seals, boiled water, or water treated with chlorine products. Frequent handwashing with safe water and soap is recommended, and in the absence of soap, hands can be cleaned using ash or sand followed by rinsing with safe water. Proper sanitation practices, such as using latrines or burying feces and avoiding defecation near water sources, are crucial. The document also highlights safe food practices, including thoroughly cooking food (especially seafood), consuming it while hot, keeping it covered, and peeling fruits and vegetables. Ensuring the safe cleaning of kitchens and areas where the family bathes or washes clothes is also advised.
In case of diarrheal illness, the document stresses the immediate use of oral rehydration solution (ORS) to prevent dehydration and the importance of seeking medical attention as quickly as possible. Patients should continue ORS intake both at home and during transit to a health facility. These preventative measures and prompt treatment strategies are vital for reducing cholera transmission and mortality.
                                                                    more
                                                            
                         
                     
                                                        
                        
                        
                            
                            
                                                                In order to maintain daily operations and patient care services, health care facilities need to develop an Emergency Water Supply Plan (EWSP) to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a total or partial interruption of the facilities’ normal water supply. Water supply interruption can be caused... by several types of events such as natural disaster, a failure of the community water system, construction damage or even an act of terrorism.
The planning guide provides a four step process for the development of an EWSP:
1.	 Assemble the appropriate EWSP Team and the necessary background documents for your facility;
2.	 Understand your water usage by performing a water use audit;
3.	 Analyze your emergency water supply alternatives; and
4.	 Develop and exercise your EWSP
                                                                    more
                                                            
                         
                     
                                                        
                        
                        
                            
                            
                                                                Trachoma causes more vision loss and blindness than any other infection in the world. This disease is caused by Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria. Other variants or strains of these bacteria can cause a sexually transmitted infection (chlamydia) and disease in lymph nodes.  
This is photomicrograph ...of a conjunctival smear that revealed the presence of what are known as, intracytoplasmic inclusions Trachoma is easily spread through direct personal contact such as from fingers, through shared towels and clothes, and through flies that have been in contact with the eyes or nose of an infected person. When left untreated, repeated Chlamydia trachomatis infections in the eye can cause severe scarring on the inside of the eyelid. This can cause the eyelashes to scratch the cornea (trichiasis). In addition to causing pain, trichiasis permanently damages the cornea and can lead to irreversible blindness.
Chlamydia trachomatis infections spread in areas that lack access to safely managed drinking water and sanitation systems. Trachoma affects the most resource-limited communities in the world. Globally, almost 1.9 million people have vision loss because of trachoma, and it causes 1.4% of all blindness worldwide.1 In 2021, 136 million people lived in trachoma-endemic areas and were at risk of trachoma blindness.
                                                                    more
                                                            
                         
                     
                                                        
                        
                        
                            
                            
                                                                The Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities, 2008, presents evidence-
based recommendations on the preferred methods for cleaning, disinfection and sterilization of patient-
care medical devices and for cleaning and disinfecting the healthcare environment. This docume...nt 
supercedes the relevant sections contained in the 1985 Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Guideline for 
Handwashing and Environmental Control. 1 Because maximum effectiveness from disinfection and 
sterilization results from first cleaning and removing organic and inorganic materials, this document also 
reviews cleaning methods. The chemical disinfectants discussed for patient-care equipment include 
alcohols, glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, iodophors, ortho-phthalaldehyde, peracetic 
acid, phenolics, quaternary ammonium compounds, and chlorine. The choice of disinfectant, 
concentration, and exposure time is based on the risk for infection associated with use of the equipment 
and other factors discussed in this guideline. The sterilization methods discussed include steam 
sterilization, ethylene oxide (ETO), hydrogen peroxide gas plasma, and liquid peracetic acid. When 
properly used, these cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization processes can reduce the risk for infection 
associated with use of invasive and noninvasive medical and surgical devices. However, for these 
processes to be effective, health-care workers should adhere strictly to the cleaning, disinfection, and 
sterilization recommendations in this document and to instructions on product labels.
LAST UPDATE 2019
                                                                    more
                                                            
                         
                     
                                                        
                        
                        
                            
                            
                                                                Here you can download Posters in English, French and Portuguese
                                                            
                         
                     
                                                        
                        
                        
                            
                            
                                                                comment prévenir le choléra et les décès dans vos communautés. Ces diapositives et modules comprennent des informations sur les sujets suivants :
• Introduction et engagement de la communauté
• Ce qu’il faut savoir sur le choléra
• Les soins des personnes souffrant de diarrhée pen...dant une épidémie de choléra
• Le lavage des mains
• Les sels de réhydratation orale (SRO)
• Eau potable—Aquatabs®
• Eau potable—Dlo Lavi
• Eau potable—PuR®
• Stockage d’eau potable
• Préparation sécuritaire des aliments
• Assainissement et nettoyage sécuritaires
• Gestion des corps des victimes du choléra décédés chez eux
                                                                    more
                                                            
                         
                     
                                                        
                        
                        
                            
                            
                                                                MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. ePub: 4 December 2020. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6949e2
                                                            
                         
                     
                                                        
                        
                        
                            
                            
                                                                The following checklist can help hospitals assess and improve their preparedness for responding to a community-wide outbreak of COVID-19. Each hospital will need to adapt this checklist to meet its unique needs and circumstances. This checklist should be used as one of several tools for evaluating c...urrent plans or in developing a comprehensive COVID-19 preparedness plan.
                                                                    more
                                                            
                         
                     
                                                        
                        
                        
                            
                            
                                                                Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) January 16, 2015 / 64(01);20-27
                                                            
                         
                     
                                                        
                        
                        
                            
                            
                                                                CDC course for volunteers going to Africa. Please find out mor infos on the CDC website
                                                            
                         
                     
                                                        
                        
                        
                            
                            
                                                                This   guide   is   intended   to   assist   
state,  local,  and  tribal  public  health  
professionals   in   the   initiation   of   
response    activities    during    the    
first   24   hours   of   an   emergency   
or  disaster.    It  should  be  used  in  
conjunction with existin...g emergency 
operations      plans,      procedures,      
guidelines,  resources,  assets,  and  
incident  management  systems.    It  
is  not  a  substitute  for  public  health  
emergency      preparedness      and      
planning activities. The response to 
any emergency or disaster must be 
a coordinated community effort.
                                                                    more
                                                            
                         
                     
                                                        
                        
                        
                            
                            
                                                                Poster for communities and health worker
                                                            
                         
                     
                                                        
                        
                        
                            
                            
                                                                The document is a pocket guide for establishing and operating a Cholera Treatment Center (CTC). It provides guidelines on selecting a location, triaging patients based on dehydration severity, infection control measures, and ensuring sufficient medical supplies. The guide emphasizes maintaining hygi...ene, proper waste management, and security while offering detailed protocols for treating moderate and severe cases of cholera. It is intended to support healthcare workers in efficiently managing cholera outbreaks.
                                                                    more
                                                            
                         
                     
                                                        
                        
                        
                            
                            
                                                                CDC created this communication toolkit to help public health professionals, health departments, community organizations, and healthcare systems and providers reach populations who may need COVID-19 prevention messaging in their native languages.
                                                            
                         
                     
                                                        
                        
                        
                            
                            
                                                                Website accessed Feb 6, 2025