Typhoid and cholera...

[Neil]

Seems whenever in an apocalyptic film there are huge amounts of dead people around, there is talk of typhoid and cholera...

From what I can gather these are caused by bacteria in people, being passed on through poor sanitation.

But surely people would have to be infected in the first place, before they die, to allow these bacteria into the water supply etc?

What is the connection between a lot of dead bodies and these bacteria?

I assume it also has something to do with the fact that water treatment would also no longer be happening?

[AcesandEights]

Not sure about Typhoid, but I know Cholera is thought to be stored in both people and the watershed, iirc. It's also ridiculously potent and fast acting.

Once bodies stack up, the watershed becomes compromised (especially by sewage -- i.e. infected human fecal matter) and waste treatment facilities breakdown, it's pretty much a forgone conclusion that there will be outbreaks.

[Mike70]

V. cholerae harbors naturally in the zooplankton of fresh, brackish, and salt water, attached primarily to their chitinous exoskeleton.

cholera occurs naturally in a lot of organisms that inhabit water. an epidemic can happen when the normal methods of water treatment breakdown or when infected body wastes enter the water supply.

as for typhus:


The causative organism is Rickettsia prowazekii, transmitted by the human body louse (Pediculus humanus corporis).[2][3] Feeding on a human who carries the bacillus infects the louse. R. prowazekii grows in the louse's gut and is excreted in its feces. The disease is then transmitted to an uninfected human who scratches the louse bite (which itches) and rubs the feces into the wound.

typhus outbreaks usually occur as a result of a war or natural disasters. when basic hygiene breaks down the lice that cause typhus can take hold in a population resulting in an epidemic.

[Neil]

The causative organism is Rickettsia prowazekii, transmitted by the human body louse (Pediculus humanus corporis).[2][3] Feeding on a human who carries the bacillus infects the louse. R. prowazekii grows in the louse's gut and is excreted in its feces. The disease is then transmitted to an uninfected human who scratches the louse bite (which itches) and rubs the feces into the wound.Ewww! Ewwwww! And ewwwwwwwwwww!

[Mike70]

after re-reading this thread, i just realized that you were asking about typhoid not typhus.

typhoid is caused by a strain of the salmonella bacteria that lives in human fecal matter. outbreaks are caused when human feces contaminates drinking water and/or food supplies. the chlorination of drinking water is the main reason that typhoid fever has become virtually non-existent in the western world.


strange fact: almost 5% of people who become ill with typhoid remain carriers of it after they recover.


Not sure about Typhoid, but I know Cholera is thought to be stored in both people and the watershed, iirc. It's also ridiculously potent and fast acting.


indeed it is one of the fastest acting diseases out there. cholera can kill someone in as little as 3-4 hours after symptoms appear due to massive dehydration.

[Mike70]

speaking of cholera, there is an outbreak under way in zimbabwe. so far there are over 9,000 confirmed cases and 360+ people have died.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7749853.stm