There are no specific antibiotics against cholera, but it is possible to intervene positively on the course of the disease by administering tetracycline or ciprofloxacin. Anti-biotic therapy is mainly used for more severe forms or in patients at risk (eg elderly), in order to reduce the duration of the disease, the intensity of symptoms and decrease secondary cases among family contacts. However, antibiotic-based prophylaxis is not recommended, to avoid the phenomenon of antibiotic resistance, which in the past has favored the emergence of multi-resistant and more aggressive strains of Vibrio cholerae.
The most dangerous effect of cholera is dehydration, therefore the therapy recommended by the WHO is based on the use of solutions for oral rehydration, which allow to rebalance the levels of liquids and mineral salts lost with diarrhea and vomiting. This approach, if undertaken immediately, is successful in 90% of the cases and allows the mortality rate to be reduced to 1%. When the patient has lost 10% of the weight and presents drowsiness or other severe symptoms intravenous fluids are administered.
