| ONLINE SERVICES: | | |
 |
cholera
2009-06-04
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 can be severe.
SYMPTOMSApproximately 1 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.
MODES OF SPREADING CHORELA
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 (stool) of an infected person. The disease can spread rapidly in areas with inadequate treatment of sewage and drinking water.
The cholera bacterium may also live in the environment in brackish rivers and coastal waters. Shellfish eaten raw have been a source of cholera. The disease is not likely to spread directly from one person to another; therefore, casual contact with an infected person is not a risk for becoming ill.