Cholera By: Juan Camacho

Vibrio cholera is a comma-shaped bacterium that lives in brackish or salt water

The primary symptoms of cholera are profuse diarrhea and vomiting of clear liquid

Cholera is transmitted via the fecal-oral route by contaminated water or food.

John Snow identified the mode of transmission during an epidemic in London in 1854

In late 2010, after the earthquake, Cholera reappeared in Haiti, for the first time in more than 100 years

V. cholerae propels itself to the lining of your intestinal wall.

The toxin that causes cholera’s symptoms is actually encoded in a bacteriophage

Cholera toxin activates cAMP affecting chloride ion and water homeostasis

Preventing Cholera is relatively simple, involving providing clean water, handling sewage and education on hygiene

Two oral vaccines are available but are not currently used in the US

Cholera can be effectively treated by replacing fluids lost as fast as they are being lost.

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