National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Cholera


Other Names:
Vibrio cholerae infection
Categories:
Cholera is an infection of the small intestines that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholera. The condition can range from mild to severe and many affected people may have no obvious signs or symptoms. Approximately 5-10% of infected people will have severe disease with watery diarrhea and vomiting leading to rapid fluid loss, dehydration, and shock. If left untreated, this can cause acute renal failure, severe electrolyte imbalances, coma, or even death. People develop cholera when they eat food or drink water that is contaminated with Vibrio cholera. The condition occurs most often in places that lack water treatment and have poor sanitation and inadequate hygiene. Treatment aims to prevent dehydration and replace the fluids and salts that are lost through diarrhea.[1][2][3]
Last updated: 4/7/2016

Related diseases are conditions that have similar signs and symptoms. A health care provider may consider these conditions in the table below when making a diagnosis. Please note that the table may not include all the possible conditions related to this disease.

Conditions with similar signs and symptoms from Orphanet
Mild cases can be confused with other causes of gastroenteritis such as Escherichia coli and rotavirus infections.
Visit the Orphanet disease page for more information.

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Cholera. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • You can obtain information on this topic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC is recognized as the lead federal agency for developing and applying disease prevention and control, environmental health, and health promotion and education activities designed to improve the health of the people of the United States.
  • Mayo Clinic has an information page on Cholera.
  • MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.

In-Depth Information

  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • MeSH® (Medical Subject Headings) is a terminology tool used by the National Library of Medicine. Click on the link to view information on this topic.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Cholera. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

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  1. Sajeev Handa, MBBCh, BAO, LRCSI, LRCPI. Cholera. Medscape Reference. February 2016; http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/962643-overview.
  2. Cholera. MedlinePlus. May 2014; https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000303.htm.
  3. Cholera - Vibrio cholerae infection. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. October 2014; http://www.cdc.gov/cholera/index.html.