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May 2, 2024 · If you're going to an area with cholera... 1. Drink and use safe water. Use bottled, chlorinated, boiled, or filtered water. Piped water, drinks sold in cups or bags, and ice may not be safe. Use bottled water with unbroken seals to drink, brush your teeth, wash and prepare food, and make ice or beverages. If bottled water is not available, use ...
- Cholera: Causes and How It Spreads
Cholera, caused by the bacteria Vibrio cholerae, is rare in...
- About Cholera
Prevention. Using treated water helps prevent cholera. If...
- Cholera: Causes and How It Spreads
- Overview
- Symptoms and Causes
- Diagnosis and Tests
- Management and Treatment
- Prevention
- Outlook / Prognosis
- Living With
Cholera is a sudden illness that happens when a person swallows food or water containing Vibrio cholerae bacteria. It’s not common in the United States or other developed countries, but affects millions worldwide. Cholera can cause severe diarrhea, dehydration and even death. Clean water and good hygiene are important to prevent it.
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OverviewSymptoms and CausesDiagnosis and TestsManagement and TreatmentPreventionOutlook / PrognosisLiving With
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What causes cholera?
Cholera comes from the V. cholerae bacteria. People infected with these bacteria can spread disease through their feces (also called stool or poop). They do so when infected feces get into the water system. If the water isn’t properly sanitized (cleaned), people using the water to drink, cook and wash risk exposure. When a person eats or drinks food or water that contains V. cholerae, the bacteria grow inside them. The bacteria then make the small intestines secrete (leak) fluid, leading to diarrhea. Cholera usually doesn’t spread directly from person to person, but it can. So it’s important to wash your hands to prevent infection. Cholera bacteria also live in salty rivers and coastal waters. Some people have gotten cholera from eating raw or undercooked shellfish, though that’s rare. Advertisement
What are the symptoms of cholera?
A cholera infection can be mild, with no symptoms. But about 10% of infected people develop severe symptoms, 12 hours to five days after ingesting the bacteria. These symptoms include: Diarrhea, or extremely watery poop. Intense thirst. Lower amounts of urine (pee). Muscle cramps. Restlessness or irritability. Vomiting. Weakness. If you develop any cholera symptoms, immediately contact a healthcare provider. Mild symptoms may go away on their own in a few days. But dehydration can become deadly very quickly. Early treatment can save your life.
What problems can cholera cause?
Diarrhea and vomiting from cholera can make your body lose large amounts of important substances: Electrolytes. Fluids. Sodium. Potassium. When your body doesn’t have enough of those things, you get dehydrated and may develop: Dry mucous membranes (such as in the eyes, nose and mouth). Fast heart rate. Hypokalemia (low potassium levels in the blood). Hypotension (low blood pressure). Loss of the natural stretchiness in skin. Untreated, severe dehydration from cholera can lead to: Kidney failure. Shock. Coma. Death. Advertisement
How is cholera diagnosed?
To test for cholera, a healthcare provider will need a sample of your stool. Often, you will poop into a collection cup or bag. Sometimes, a healthcare provider will insert a swab into your rectum (opening where poop comes out). The sample gets sent to a laboratory, where experts will look at it under a microscope to identify the bacterium V. cholerae. Some areas where cholera is more common have access to a “dipstick” tool that can rapidly test a stool sample.
How is cholera treated?
The most important part of cholera treatment is preventing or reversing dehydration. Anyone with cholera should immediately replace the fluids and salts they’ve lost. A healthcare provider may prescribe: Oral rehydration solution (ORS): You may have to drink large amounts of a prepackaged mix of sugar, salts and water. Intravenous fluids: For a severe case of dehydration, a healthcare provider may use a needle to pump fluids directly into your veins. Other treatments may include: Antibiotics. Zinc in children younger than 5. V. cholera bacteria usually disappear from the body within two weeks. Care at Cleveland Clinic Find a Primary Care Provider Schedule an Appointment
How can I avoid cholera?
People who don’t live in or visit areas with poor sanitation have little chance of getting cholera. But if you’re in an area with cholera cases, certain strategies can help prevent infections: Avoid tap water, water fountains and ice cubes. This precaution applies to water you drink and water you use to wash dishes, prepare food and brush your teeth. Don’t eat raw or undercooked seafood. Drink water only if it’s bottled, canned, boiled or treated with certain chemicals. And don’t drink out of a bottle or can with a broken seal. Eat prepackaged foods. Or make sure other foods are freshly cooked and served hot. Consider disinfecting your water: Boil it for at least one minute. Add half an iodine tablet or two drops of household bleach to each liter of water. Or use chlorine tablets. Wash fruits and vegetables with clean water. Wash your hands with soap and clean water, especially before handling and eating food and after using the bathroom. If clean water and soap aren’t available, use hand sanitizer made of at least 60% alcohol.
Is there a vaccine for cholera?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved one vaccine for cholera (Vaxchora®). It’s for adults ages 18 to 64 who plan to travel to areas with cholera. But the vaccine isn’t recommended very often because most tourists don’t visit places with cholera. Two other cholera vaccines exist but aren’t approved in the United States. Vaccines aren’t 100% effective, so you should still take care when traveling. Follow precautions with food and water, and wash your hands often.
What is the outlook for someone with cholera?
Cholera may go away on its own in just a few days. But if you have severe symptoms and start to become dehydrated, you need medical attention. You must replace fluids very quickly.
How can I protect myself if I plan to be in an area with cholera?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a website where travelers can check for outbreaks of cholera and other diseases (Visit their Travel Health Notices website.) If you live in an area with cholera or plan to travel to one, make sure you’re careful about the water you drink. Wash your hands and prepare food carefully. The following supplies might help: Bottled water. Chlorine tables. Household bleach. Iodine tablets. Prepackaged foods. A note from Cleveland Clinic If you have severe diarrhea from cholera or another cause, contact a healthcare provider immediately. You must replace fluids and electrolytes to avoid dehydration. This complication can cause serious health problems and even death. Medically Reviewed Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 04/30/2021. Learn more about our editorial process.
Dec 11, 2023 · Provision of safe water and basic sanitation, and hygiene practices is critical to prevent and control the transmission of cholera and other waterborne diseases. Oral cholera vaccines should be used in conjunction with improvements in water and sanitation to control cholera outbreaks and for prevention in areas known to be high risk for cholera.
Dec 9, 2022 · Prevention. Overview. Cholera is a bacterial disease usually spread through contaminated water. Cholera causes severe diarrhea and dehydration. Left untreated, cholera can be fatal within hours, even in previously healthy people. Modern sewage and water treatment have virtually eliminated cholera in industrialized countries.
Mar 10, 2023 · 10 March 2023 | Q&A. What are the signs and symptoms of cholera? How does cholera spread? What is the treatment for patients with cholera? Where is there a risk of cholera? How can communities reduce their risk of cholera? There is an outbreak of cholera where I live. How can I reduce my risk?
