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Cholera
Cholera causes diarrhoea
- Diarrhea: Diarrhea refers to the passing of loose or watery stools from the anus.
- Severity and Fatality: If diarrhea is severe and prolonged, it can result in death due to excessive fluid loss.
- Dehydration Effects: Severe diarrhea can lead to significant loss of water and essential ions from the body, disrupting the normal functioning of tissues and organs.
- Treatment with ORT: Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) is an effective method to manage cholera by replenishing lost fluids and electrolytes.
- ORT Composition: ORT typically consists of a solution containing a precise balance of salt and sugar dissolved in water.
- Causes of Diarrhea: Various factors can cause diarrhea, including infections such as Vibrio cholerae bacteria, the pathogen responsible for cholera.
How does Vibrio cholerae cause diarrhoea?
How Cholera Leads to Diarrhoea
Ingestion: Cholera is contracted by ingesting contaminated water or food. When the bacteria enter the small intestine, it triggers the following illness:
- Bacterial Attachment: The bacteria attach themselves to the wall of the small intestine.
- Toxin Production: They produce a harmful toxin.
- Stimulation of Cells: The toxin stimulates the cells lining the intestine to release chloride ions into the intestine's lumen.
- Chloride Ion Accumulation: Chloride ions accumulate in the intestine's lumen, reducing its water potential.
- Water Movement: When the water potential in the intestine is lower than that of the cells, water moves out of the cells into the intestine through osmosis.
- Fluid Loss: This leads to a significant loss of water from the body in the form of watery feces.
- Imbalance in Blood: The blood ends up with lower levels of chloride ions and water.
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FAQs on Cholera
| 1. What is cholera and how does the cholera bacterium spread from person to person? |  |
Ans. Cholera is a severe infectious disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, which enters the body through contaminated water and food. The pathogen multiplies in the small intestine and releases toxins that cause profuse watery diarrhoea, leading to rapid dehydration. Transmission occurs primarily through faecal-oral routes when sanitation is poor and drinking water remains untreated.
| 2. Why does cholera cause severe diarrhoea and what happens inside the body during infection? | |
Ans. Cholera bacteria produce an enterotoxin that damages the intestinal lining and disrupts fluid absorption mechanisms. This toxin forces excessive water and electrolytes into the intestinal lumen, resulting in characteristic "rice-water" stools. The massive fluid loss triggers acute dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and potential organ failure if treatment is delayed.
| 3. How can cholera be prevented and what role does clean water play in protection? | |
Ans. Cholera prevention depends on access to safe drinking water, proper sewage disposal, and hygiene practices. Boiling water, using water purification tablets, and maintaining sanitation standards eliminate Vibrio cholerae from water supplies. Vaccination is available for high-risk populations. Communities with improved water infrastructure and sanitation systems experience dramatically reduced cholera transmission rates.
| 4. What are the main symptoms of cholera infection and when do they appear? | |
Ans. Cholera symptoms include sudden onset watery diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and rapid dehydration within 24-48 hours of infection. Patients may experience muscle cramps, weak pulse, and sunken eyes due to severe fluid loss. Most infected individuals show symptoms between 12 hours and 5 days after exposure to contaminated sources, though some remain asymptomatic carriers.
| 5. How is cholera treated and why is rehydration so important for survival? | |
Ans. Cholera treatment focuses on rapid fluid and electrolyte replacement using oral rehydration solutions (ORS) containing glucose, sodium, and potassium. Intravenous fluids are administered in severe dehydration cases. Antibiotics reduce bacterial shedding and disease duration. Early rehydration prevents organ damage and death, with survival rates exceeding 99% when treatment begins promptly.
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Apr 29, 2026 Last updated
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