Causes of cholera

The cause of cholera infection is a bacterium named Vibrio cholerae. Cholera bacteria produce CTX or potentially powerful toxins in the small intestine. The intestinal wall attached to CTX will interfere with the flow of sodium and chloride minerals to eventually cause the body to expel large amounts of water (diarrhea) and result in a lack of electrolytes and fluids.

There are several serology groups from Vibrio cholerae bacteria, but there are only two types that can cause an epidemic, namely V.cholerae O1 and V.cholerae O139. Both types have the same toxicity and the symptoms produced are not much different.