Two types of Cholera | Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatments
There are two common types of Cholera. First, we will cover Classical Cholera; the second type, Cholera elto, follows this.
1. Classical Cholera
The bacterium Vibrio cholerae, also called Classical Cholera, typically spread through contaminated food and water, causes Cholera, an infection that affects the gastrointestinal system. Vibrio cholerae 01, biovar cholera, is the classical strain of the bacterium.
1.1 Symptoms
A patient with Cholera can experience severe watery diarrhea, vomiting, and leg cramps; in severe cases, the patient may become highly dehydrated, shocked, and even die.
1.2 Diagnosis
Laboratory tests of the patient’s feces can detect the Vibrio cholera bacterium.
1.3 Treatment
Treatment includes rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids and, in severe cases, antibiotics; less severe cases generally resolve without antibiotics. This strain has not been active in the last few pandemics.
2. Cholera elto
The bacterium Vibrio cholerae, typically spread through contaminated food and water, causes Cholera elto, an infection that affects the gastrointestinal system. Vibrio cholerae 01, biovar eltor survives in the body longer than the classical strain biovar cholera.
2.1 Symptoms
A patient with Cholera elto can experience severe watery diarrhea, vomiting, and leg cramps; in severe cases, the patient may become highly dehydrated, be shocked, and even die.
2.2 Diagnosis
Laboratory tests of the patient’s feces can detect the Vibrio cholera bacterium.
2.3 Treatment
Treatment includes rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids and, in severe cases, antibiotics; less severe cases generally resolve without antibiotics. This strain has been active in the most recent global pandemic.
