Cholera is an acute diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with the bacteria Vibrio cholerae. Cholera was prevalent in the 1800s, but due to proper treatment of sewage and drinking water, has become rare in developed countries. V. cholerae can be found in contaminated food or water, especially in areas of poor sanitation and water treatment.
How many times have we been told to wash our hands before sitting down at the supper table or after touching money and other dirty surfaces? By washing up we think that we’re clean and microorganism-free. We have baths, cook our food, treat our sewage and even cover our mouths when we cough and sneeze to prevent the spread of those tiny dirty particles that could make us sick.
