V. cholerae is the etiologic agent of Asiatic cholera, an acute diarrheal disease that is acquired by oral ingestion of toxigenic vibrios found in contaminated water or food sources.
The food has been most frequently implicated in outbreaks is seafood, both molluscan shellfish and crustaceans.
Seafood was the most commonly implicated vehicle in foodborne cholera outbreaks around the world, with more than 23 outbreaks associated with seafood since 1961.
V. cholerae can survive for more than two weeks in different dairy products, including milk, milk products, soft desserts and cakes. Although V. cholerae is killed by pasteurization of milk, the organisms can persist in raw milk for as long as four weeks, even if refrigerated.
In typical cholera there is profuse diarrhea, with large volumes of so-called rice-water stool passed painlessly.
This can amount to twice the body weight within 4-6 days. Gastric disturbance, particularly sub-acidity and gastrostomy, are risk factors in severe cholera.
Cholera: Bacterial infection of small intestine
