G. Balakrish Nair on the Microbiology of Cholera

Cholera is an infection of the human small intestine caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting which, if left untreated, leads to dehydration and rapidly to death. Historically, it was greatly feared in London and New York City, both of which were hit by pandemics in the 1830s. In developed countries that have good sanitation and few urban slums the disease is now virtually unknown. But in parts of the world with extreme poverty or where there have been natural disasters, such as Haiti, it affects millions of people and is responsible for about 100,000 deaths annually.

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