Cholera

Abstract

Despite more than a century of study, cholera still presents challenges and surprises to us. Throughout most of the 20th century, cholera was caused by Vibrio cholerae of the O1 serogroup and the disease was largely confined to Asia and Africa. However, the last decade of the 20th century has witnessed two major developments in the history of this disease. In 1991, a massive outbreak of cholera started in South America, the one continent previously untouched by cholera in this century. In 1992, an apparently new pandemic caused by a previously unknown serogroup of V. cholerae (O139) began in India and Bangladesh. The O139 epidemic has been occurring in populations assumed to be largely immune to V. cholerae O1 and has rapidly spread to many countries including the United States. In this review, we discuss all aspects of cholera, including the clinical microbiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, and clinical features of the disease. Special attention will be paid to the extraordinary advances that have been made in recent years in unravelling the molecular pathogenesis of this infection and in the development of new generations of vaccines to prevent it.

Cholera Seasonality in Madras (1901–1940): Dual Role for Rainfall in Endemic and Epidemic Regions

“…Rainfall as a driver is also intimately connected with the two routes of transmission described for cholera in the literature (Miller et al, 1985). Studies in volunteers have confirmed that ingestion of a dose between 10 7 and 10 11 is required to develop an infection (Kaper et al, 1995). Brackish waters and estuaries provide suitable environmental conditions for the bacterium to survive outside the human host (Colwell et al, 1977).…”

Iron acquisition in Vibrio cholerae

“…During infection of the human host, V. cholerae colonizes the small intestine by adhering to the epithelial cells through the action of the toxin-coregulated pilus (TCP). V. cholerae secretes a potent enterotoxin (CT) that deregulates cAMP production in the epithelial cells, resulting in massive ion and water efflux (Kaper et al, 1995). Cholera is still a significant public health threat in areas where clean water is not widely available (Sack et al, 2006).…”

Untersuchungen zum mikrobiellen und viralen Kontaminationsstatus von Garnelen aus Aquakultur

“…Durch die übliche kurze Garzeit der Garnelen von nur einigen Minuten ist nicht gewährleistet, dass die Vibrionen vollständig abgetötet werden. Es ist aber davon auszugehen, dass der Großteil der isolierten V. cholerae non-O1 und non-O139 nicht pathogen ist und die Gefahr einer Benachteiligung der Gesundheit durch den Verzehr kontaminierter Proben gering ist (Kaper et al, 1995).…”