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IINTRODUCTION
The term "Diarrhoea" derives from
Greek word; literally meaning Òthrough followingÓ. It is a
common digestive disorder that virtually all people suffer at
some stages during their lives. Diarrhoea is one of the
principal causes of morbidity & mortality among children in the
developing world. In 1982, on the basis of a review of active
surveillance data from global studies conducted in the 1950s,
1960s and 1970s, it was estimated that 4.6 million children died
annually from Diarrhoea.
DEFINITION
The definition of Diarrhoea varies but it can generally be taken
to mean increased stool water causing an increase in stool
frequency or the passage of soft stools greater than 3 times per
day or presence of blood in stool even once a day is also called
Diarrhoea (Bloody Diarrhoea or invasive Diarrhoea). Diarrhoea is
called acute if it lasts for less than two weeks or persistant
having acute onset if it lasts for greater than two weeks.
HISTORY
It is difficult to find out when first case of Diarrhoea was
found. History of cholera is treated as the history of
Diarrhoea. In the past, people traveling in ships would hang a
yellow flag if one or more of the crew members suffered from
cholera. Boats with a yellow flag hung would not be allowed to
disembark at any harbor for an extended period, typically 30 to
40 days. Cholera was originally endemic to the Indian
subcontinent, with the Ganges River likely serving as a
contamination reservoir. The disease spread by trade routes
(land and sea) to Russia, then to Western Europe, and from
Europe to North America.
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EPIDEMIOLOGY
Diarrhoeal disease is one of the leading causes of morbidity
and mortality in the least developed countries, especially
among children aged 0-5 years (Fewtrell et. al 2005). Global
estimates of the numbers of deaths due to Diarrhoea have
shown a steady decline, from 4.6 million in the 1980s
(Snyder and Merson 1982) to 3.3 million in the 1990s (Bern
et al. 1992) to 2.5 million in the year 2000 (Kosek, Bern,
and Guerrent 2003), 1.5 million in 2004. However, diarrhoeal
diseases
continue to be an important cause of morbidity and mortality
worldwide and despite all advances in health technology,
improved management, and increased use of oral rehydration
therapy (ORT) in the past decades, they remain among the
five major killers of children under five years of age. In
contrast to mortality trends, morbidity due to Diarrhoea has
not shown a parallel decline, and global estimates remain
between two and three episodes of Diarrhoea per child under
five per year.
1816-1826 :
First Cholera pandemic: The
pandemic began in Bengal, and
then spread across India by
1820.
1829-1851 : Second Cholera
pandemic reached
Europe, London and
Paris in 1832
1961-1970s : Seventh Cholera
pandemic began in
Indonesia, called El Tor
after the strain, and
reached Bangladesh in
1963
1816-1826 :
First Cholera pandemic: The
pandemic began in Bengal, and
then spread across India by
1820.
1829-1851 : Second Cholera
pandemic reached
Europe, London and
Paris in 1832
1961-1970s : Seventh Cholera
pandemic began in
Indonesia, called El Tor
after the strain, and
reached Bangladesh in
1963
1816-1826 :
First Cholera pandemic: The
pandemic began in Bengal, and
then spread across India by
1820.
1829-1851 : Second Cholera
pandemic reached
Europe, London and
Paris in 1832
1961-1970s : Seventh Cholera
pandemic began in
Indonesia, called El Tor
after the strain, and
reached Bangladesh in
1963
1816-1826 :
First Cholera pandemic: The
pandemic began in Bengal, and
then spread across India by
1820.
1829-1851 : Second Cholera
pandemic reached
Europe, London and
Paris in 1832
1961-1970s : Seventh Cholera
pandemic began in
Indonesia, called El Tor
after the strain, and
reached Bangladesh in
1963
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