What does cholera come from?

The bacteria can enter drinking water when sanitation systems are damaged or when waste reaches wells, rivers, storage containers, or food preparation areas. Raw or undercooked food washed with unsafe water can also carry the bacteria. A person may become infected without being able to identify the exact meal or drink that caused it.

Cholera mainly affects the intestine. It can cause sudden, large-volume watery diarrhoea, vomiting, thirst, weakness, and signs of dehydration. The illness itself is not caused by cold weather or by eating a particular ordinary food; the key risk is swallowing contaminated material.

Use sealed, boiled, or otherwise safely treated water for drinking, brushing teeth, preparing food, and making ice. Wash hands with soap after using the toilet and before handling food. Keep cooked food covered, separate it from raw ingredients, and clean feeding cups and utensils with safe water.

If watery diarrhoea begins, start oral rehydration as directed on the product while arranging medical advice. Oral rehydration therapy replaces water and salts lost through stool and vomiting; severe dehydration may need IV fluid therapy in a medical setting. Read more about diarrhoea, oral rehydration therapy, and IV fluid therapy.

Seek urgent medical care for repeated watery stools, persistent vomiting, intense thirst, very little urine, dizziness, confusion, unusual sleepiness, a fast heartbeat, or inability to drink. Dehydration can progress quickly, especially in young children, older adults, and people who are already unwell. Tell the clinician about recent travel, a local water warning, or other people with similar symptoms.

Ask whether your symptoms fit cholera or another cause of acute diarrhoea, which fluids are suitable, whether testing is needed, and how to protect people sharing your home. Also ask when normal food and drinks can be resumed and what local water precautions apply.