What is Vibrio Cholerae?
Vibrio cholerae is a bacterium that causes the diarrheal disease known as cholera. An estimated 2.9 million cases and 95,000 deaths from cholera occur each year around the world. Modern sewage and water treatment have virtually eliminated cholera in industrialized countries. But cholera still exists in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Haitiopen_in_new.
Where is it Found?
What Can it Infect?
How Does it Spread?
Preventing the Spread of Vibrio Cholerae
Vibrio cholerae can be transmitted when someone drinks water or eats food contaminated with cholera bacteria from the feces of an infected person. The disease is most likely to occur and spread in places with inadequate water treatment, poor sanitation, and inadequate hygiene.
Regular hand hygiene is essential to prevent the transmission of cholera. Since this bacterium can be found in contaminated water, proper water purification is also a vital component in preventing its spread. Contaminated public wells are frequent sources of large-scale cholera outbreaks. In areas where public water is not purified (such as developing countries), take these preventative measures:
- Drink only bottled beverages or ones made with boiled water
- Eat food that is completely cooked and hot (especially if eating seafood)
- Avoid raw produce since it may be irrigated or washed with contaminated water
- Eat only fruits and vegetables that you can peel yourself (like bananas, oranges, and avocados)
Get More Protection with UV Disinfection
Public places with inadequate water treatment will benefit greatly by adding ultraviolet disinfection, which can help fulfill one of the World Health Organization’s objectives of a water safety planopen_in_new: “the reduction or removal of contamination through treatment processes.” UV-C purifiers can inactivate Vibrio cholerae in public water used for drinking or food preparation. Shop our products at AtlanticUltraviolet.comopen_in_new.
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Vibrio Cholerae: Classification & UV-C Dose for Inactivation
| Organism: | Alternate Name: | Type: | Disease: | UV Dose*: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vibrio cholerae | V. cholerae | Bacteria | Cholera | 6.50 mJ/cm2 |
* Nominal Ultraviolet dosage necessary to inactivate better than 99% of microorganisms. See sources below.
People at High Risk for Contracting an Infection
According to the Mayo Clinic, the following groups of people are at higher risk of infection from Vibrio cholerae:
- Those living with inadequate sanitary conditions, where a safe water supply is difficult to maintain (refugee camps, impoverished countries, and areas afflicted by famine, war, or natural disasters)
- People with low levels of stomach acid, such as children, older adults, and those who take antacids, H-2 blockers, or proton pump inhibitors
- Travelers to an area of active cholera transmissionopen_in_new
- Healthcare workers treating cholera patients
- Anyone who lives with someone sick with cholera
- People with type O blood (they are twice as likely to develop cholera compared to people with other blood types)
- Those who eat shellfish from waters that could harbor the bacteria (there have been known casesopen_in_new of people in the U.S. getting cholera from raw or undercooked shellfish from the Gulf of Mexico)
Vibrio Cholerae Symptoms
Cholera infection is often mild or without symptoms but can be severe. Approximately 1 in 10 people who get sick with cholera will develop severe symptoms, such as:
- Watery diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Thirst
- Leg cramps
- Restlessness or irritability
Sources on Vibrio Cholerae
The above information can be found on the following pages.
- CDC: Traveler’s Health – Choleraopen_in_new
- WHO: Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality – Water Safety Plansopen_in_new
- Mayo Clinic: Choleraopen_in_new
Dosage Source
Sensitivity of Bacteria, Protozoa, Viruses, and Other Microorganisms to Ultraviolet Radiation. Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Volume 126, Article No. 126021. August 20, 2021.
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