An Introduction to the Scientific Name for Cholera
The scientific name for
cholera is
Vibrio cholerae.
Vibrio cholerae is a type of bacteria; when an infection occurs, it can result in an acute, diarrheal illness that can lead to severe dehydration and even death within a matter of hours (cholera).
Vibrio cholerae are gram-negative rods
(see Pictures of Cholera). They are facultatively anaerobic, which means they can survive either with or without oxygen.
There are two general types of Vibrio cholerae:
- Vibrio cholerae Serogroup non-O1
- Vibrio cholerae Serogroup O1.
In most cases,
Vibrio cholerae Serogroup O1 is the type of
Vibrio cholerae that causes cholera.
Vibrio cholerae Serogroup O139, a
Vibrio cholerae Serogroup non-O1 bacterium, is the other
cause of cholera. There are about 70 other species of
Vibrio cholerae Serogroup non-O1; these other species rarely cause
diarrhea.
Transmission of Vibrio Cholerae
A person may get cholera by drinking water or eating food contaminated with Vibrio cholerae. The source of Vibrio cholerae contamination, during an epidemic, is usually the feces of an infected person. The disease can spread rapidly in areas with inadequate treatment of sewage and drinking water.
Vibrio cholerae may also live in the environment in brackish (saltwater) rivers and coastal waters. When eaten raw, shellfish have been a source of Vibrio cholerae, and a few people in the United States have contracted cholera after eating raw or undercooked shellfish from the Gulf of Mexico.
Because Vibrio cholerae is not likely to spread directly from one person to another, casual contact with an infected person is not a risk for becoming ill.
Once
Vibrio cholerae is ingested, the bacteria travel to the small intestine where they begin to multiply. The main cause of watery diarrhea, a characteristic
cholera symptom, is when the
Vibrio cholerae begin to produce their toxins.
In order to develop
symptoms of cholera, a person needs to ingest a lot of
Vibrio cholerae. The amount needed is decreased in those taking
antacids (or anyone who has just eaten a meal), when the acids in the stomach are neutralized.
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