We Live in a Time of Cholera

The period movie with the Shakira music might have people thinking that cholera is a thing of the past. People in Iraq, Vietnam and the Congo are all dealing with the risk of cholera right now. It is a water borne disease that is almost unheard of in countries with a functional infrastructure.

Cholera is not very romantic. Here is a paragraph about the disease from the WHO:

Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It has a short incubation period, from less than one day to five days, and produces an enterotoxin that causes a copious, painless, watery diarrhoea that can quickly lead to severe dehydration and death if treatment is not promptly given. Vomiting also occurs in most patients.