Cholera

Although easily preventable and treatable, cholera affects up to 4 million people worldwide each year, resulting in up to 140,000 deaths.

Cholera is an acute waterborne gastrointestinal infection caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae and transmitted through contaminated water or food, or direct contact with contaminated surfaces. Cholera often occurs in situations of overcrowding, inadequate access to clean water, lack of garbage collection and lack of adequate toilets.

Symptoms

Typically, symptoms of cholera appear within two to three days after infection. However, it can take anywhere from a few hours to five days or more before symptoms appear. It causes profuse diarrhea and vomiting, and people lose body fluids rapidly, leading to dehydration and shock. Without treatment, they can die within hours.
 

Treatments

Cholera can be easily and successfully treated by immediately replacing the fluids and salts lost through vomiting and diarrhea through rapid rehydration. Less than one percent of patients die from cholera.