Home Feedback Contents

Cholera
Up Anaerobes Aspergillosis Botulism Candidiasis Cholera CMV infection Creutzfeldt Jakob Fever HIV Infection control Leptospirosis Line infection Malaria Meliodosis Meningococcal disease Microbiology Needle stick injury Neutropenic fever PIRO Rickettsia SDD Sepsis management Soft tissue Strongyloidiasis Toxic shock syndrome Tetanus Tuberculosis Viral diseases

BASIC Instructor & Provider Course, October 2008, Sydney. Registration deadline 27th September.
Click here for details

Microbiology

  • caused by infection with Vibrio cholerae
  • faecal-oral spread
    • direct person-person transmission is relatively rare
    • usual route of transmission is via contaminated food or water
  • current epidemic of 0139 serotype in Indian subcontinent and Indonesia

Clinical features

  • asymptomatic infection common (~75%)
  • diarrhoea
    • profuse "rice water stools"
  • vomiting
  • dehydration
    • fluid loss of up to 1L/h

Treatment

  • rehydration essential to prevent hypovolaemic shock and renal failure
 

©Charles Gomersall, September, 2008 unless otherwise stated. The author, editor and The Chinese University of Hong Kong take no responsibility for any adverse event resulting from the use of this webpage.
Copyright policy    Contributors