The situation with diseases caused by the Vibrio bacteria worsened at Turkish resorts back in July, when the first reports of seawater contamination appeared. As Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Gennady Onishchenko explained, the cholera vibrio becomes active at a water temperature of about 13 degrees, which creates ideal conditions for its spread in coastal areas.
The main sources of infection are sea water and undercooked seafood.
The symptoms of the infection range from mild intestinal disorders to severe dehydration, characteristic of classic cholera. Onishchenko recalled that in 1994, it was from Turkey that the cholera vibrio was brought in, causing a large-scale outbreak in Russia with 1,200 confirmed cases.
The epidemiologist emphasized that modern medicine successfully treats cholera with antibiotics and rehydration solutions, but timely diagnosis is critically important.
Onishchenko fears that the Turkish authorities may be concealing the real epidemiological situation. The press service of the Turkish Ministry of Health has previously denied reports of an outbreak of the infection, despite numerous cases of illness among Russian tourists in Alanya and Belek.
The doctor urged Russians to take extra precautions: avoid swallowing sea water, wash their hands thoroughly, and drink only bottled water.