If you follow the news, you may have heard a reporter talk about
an "outbreak of cholera" somewhere in the world. It may sound a
little scary. But is cholera something you need to worry about?
What Is Cholera? Cholera is an infection of the intestines.
People get it from drinking water or eating food that's
contaminated with a type of bacteria called Vibrio cholerae.
Cholera can cause watery diarrhea and vomiting, making people
who have it get dehydrated quickly. When dehydration is severe,
it can cause serious health problems if it's not treated: A
person may have seizures and kidney failure. People who don't
get the proper medical treatment may even die. The good news is,
cholera is easy to treat if it's caught early. People who have
mild to moderate cases usually get better within a week. Even
people with severe cases of cholera recover fully in a week or
so if they get medical care. Cholera is mostly found in the
tropics — in particular Asia, Africa, Latin America, India, and
the Middle East. It's rare in