| Cholera | ||||
| Cholera
is an acute, diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with
the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The infection is often mild or
without symptoms, but sometimes it can be severe. Approximately one in 20
infected persons has severe disease characterized by profuse watery
diarrhea, vomiting, and leg cramps. In these persons, rapid loss of body
fluids leads to dehydration and shock. Without treatment, death can occur
within hours.
A person may get cholera by drinking water or eating food contaminated
with the cholera bacterium. In an epidemic, the source of the
contamination is usually the feces of an infected person. The disease can
spread rapidly in areas with inadequate treatment of sewage and drinking
water. |
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