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- Key Facts
- Overview
- Symptoms
- History
- Vibrio cholerae Strains
- Epidemiology, Risk Factors and Disease Burden
- Prevention and Control
- Surveillance
- Water and Sanitation Interventions
- Treatment
Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal disease that can kill within hours if left untreated.Cholera is a disease of poverty affecting people with inadequate access to safe water and basic sanitation.Conflict, unplanned urbanization and climate change all increase the risk of cholera.Researchers have estimated that each year there are 1.3 to 4.0 million cases of cholera, and 21 000 to 143 000 deaths worldwide due to cholera (1).Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Cholera remains a global threat to public health and an indicator of inequity and lack of social development.
Cholera is an extremely virulent disease transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated food or water (2). Cholera can cause severe acute watery diarrhoea and the severe forms of the disease can kill within hours if left untreated. Most people infected with V. cholerae do not develop any symptoms, although the bacteria are present in their faece...
During the 19th century, cholera spread across the world from its original reservoir in the Ganges delta in India. Six subsequent pandemics killed millions of people across all continents. The current (seventh) pandemic started in South Asia in 1961, reached Africa in 1971 and the Americas in 1991. Cholera is now endemic in many countries.
There are many serogroups of V. cholerae, but only two – O1 and O139 – cause outbreaks. V. cholerae O1 has caused all recent outbreaks. V. choleraeO139 – first identified in Bangladesh in 1992 – caused outbreaks in the past, but recently has only been identified in sporadic cases. It has never been identified outside Asia. There is no difference in...
Cholera can be endemic or epidemic. A cholera-endemic area is an area where confirmed cholera cases were detected during the last 3 years with evidence of local transmission (meaning the cases are not imported from elsewhere). A cholera outbreak/epidemic can occur in both endemic countries and in countries where cholera does not regularly occur. Ch...
A multifaceted approach is key to control cholera, and to reduce deaths. A combination of surveillance, water, sanitation and hygiene, social mobilization, treatment, and oral cholera vaccines are used.
Cholera surveillance should be part of an integrated disease surveillance system that includes feedback at the local level and information-sharing at the global level. The detection of a suspected cholera case is based on clinical suspicion in patients aged two years and older with acute watery diarrhoea and severe dehydration or dying from acute w...
The long-term solution for cholera control lies in economic development and universal access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. Actions targeting environmental conditions include the implementation of adapted long-term sustainable WASH solutions to ensure use of safe water and basic sanitation and good hygiene practices. In addition to ch...
Cholera is an easily treatable disease. The majority of people can be treated successfully through prompt administration of oral rehydration solution (ORS). The WHO/UNICEF ORS standard sachet is dissolved in 1 litre (L) of clean water. Adult patients may require up to 6 L of ORS to treat moderate dehydration on the first day. Severely dehydrated pa...
Dec 9, 2022 · Cholera is a treatable — yet potentially fatal — bacterial disease that causes diarrhea and dehydration. Learn how to lower your risk.
Cholera is an acute, diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with the toxigenic bacterium Vibrio cholerae serogroup O1 or O139. An estimated 1.3 to 4 million people around the world get cholera each year and 21,000 to 143,000 people die from it. People who get cholera often have mild symptoms or no symptoms, but cholera can be ...
Mar 22, 2022 · The risk of a cholera outbreak increases during humanitarian crises, natural disasters, and population migration when people are likely to experience limited access to safe water, poor sanitation conditions, and overcrowding – all risk factors for cholera. About 1.3 billion people are at risk of cholera in countries where local transmission occurs.
Mar 24, 2023 · 22 countries are fighting outbreaks of cholera caused by people consuming contaminated food or water. Cholera symptoms can show up 12 hours to 5 days after consuming contaminated food or water. The disease can kill if left untreated.
