Cholera

Cholera is a potentially life-threatening waterborne disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It primarily affects the intestines and can cause severe watery diarrhoea and dehydration. Without timely treatment, severe cholera can become fatal within hours.

Transmission

Cholera is mainly transmitted through drinking water or consuming food contaminated with Vibrio cholerae. It is particularly common in areas affected by poor sanitation, overcrowding, war and famine, with outbreaks more frequent in warm climates.

The bacteria can survive in brackish and coastal waters, and consumption of raw shellfish such as shrimp and crab can also transmit the disease. However, cholera is not commonly spread through casual person-to-person contact.

Cholera is largely preventable and potentially eliminable when populations have sustained access to safe drinking water, adequate sanitation and good hygiene practices.

Symptoms

Most people infected with Vibrio cholerae do not develop symptoms, although they may still shed the bacteria through faeces for 1–10 days and contribute to transmission.

Symptoms generally appear 12 hours to 5 days after infection. Most symptomatic cases are mild or moderate, while a smaller proportion develop severe acute watery diarrhoea and life-threatening dehydration.

Treatment

The primary treatment for cholera is rapid rehydration through adequate oral fluids or intravenous fluids in severe cases to prevent dehydration.

Antibiotics such as doxycycline, erythromycin or azithromycin may be prescribed in appropriate cases to reduce the severity and duration of illness. Zinc supplementation may also be provided to children aged 6 months to 5 years.

Antidiarrhoeal medicines are not recommended for cholera because they may worsen the condition.