[Treatment of cholera in the adult. Studies during recent epidemics in Apulia]

A rapid and adequate intravenous infusions of saline and alkali in correcting hypovolemic shock, alectrolyte abnormalities, acidosis and renal failure, is the choice treatment in the majority of acute cholera patients. On the basis of the knowledge of chemical composition of the gastrointestinal fluids loss and the definition of exact mechanism of metabolic features observed in acute cholera patients, it has been possible, in the last ten years, to develop and utilize in a large numbers of patients, a more exact and adequate treatment consisting of replacement of water and electrolytes depletion with saline and alkali of the same ionic composition of fluids lost through the gastrointestinal tract. The isotonic saline and isotonic sodium lactare regimen in a 2:1 ratio has been employed in the treatment of our adult acute cholera patients. Hypotensive patients received a rapid fluids infusion of 2-4 liters within the first 4-6 hours immediately after admission. Later on the quantity of intravenous fluids replacement was regulated on the basis of blood electrolytes pattern, blood pressure, diuresis and patient's hydratation. With this regimen of treatment we observed electrolytes and acid-basic abnormalities in only 25% of our patients. The peritoneal dialysis was applied in three of these patients with irreversible renal failure. Antibiotic therapy, that assume a secondary role in the treatment of cholera patients, was carried out in each case: in 19 cases were given 1 gram every 12 hours i.m. of chloramphenicol succinate; 14 cases received mg 500 of tetracycline orally every six hours; 34 cases received two tablets of trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole every 12 hours (mg 240 of TM and g 1,6 of SMZ total dose). Except one case of TM-SMZ group who had stool culture positive for Vibrio on 4th day of therapy, in each other patients the stool cultures were sterilized in a period of 24-72 hours of antibiotic treatment.