Cholera

This is a curated page. Report corrections to Microbewiki.

Etiology/Bacteriology

Taxonomy

Domain: Bacteria | Phylum: Proteobacteria | Class: Gammaproteobacteria | Family: Vibrionaceae | Order: Vibrionales | Genus: Vibrio | Species: V. cholerae

NCBI: Taxonomy Genome: Vibrio cholerae

Pathogenesis

Transmission

The first recorded outbreak of cholera occurred in India in 1817, specifically near the mouth of the Ganges River [1]. Vibrio cholerae naturally attach to the chitinous exoskeleton of zooplankton in fresh, brackish rivers and coastal salt water. Because of this, cholera outbreaks often coincide with zooplankton blooms [2]. The transmission of V. cholerae is usually by water and food contaminated with zooplankton and/or fecal matter. Because the pathogen is ingested, it is also transmitted through oral-fecal transmission. The transmission of V. cholerae is often related to the inadequate sanitation and water treatment procedures of an area [3].”

References

1 Despommier D, Chen S. "Cholera". Medical Ecology. 2004.
2 News-Medical "Cholera Transmission". 2013.
3 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Cholera - Vibrio cholerae infection. General Information. "Where is Cholera Found". 2013, July 9.

Created by Bhumi Patel, Dehra McGuire, and Gracen Conway, students of Tyrrell Conway at the University of Oklahoma.