Cholera is a serious infectious disease affecting many countries worldwide. It causes severe diarrhea and incurs high death rates. Children and pregnant women are at severe risk of fatality from the disease.
For decades, antibiotics have been the main treatment for cholera. However, new changes in the bacteria are making it more resistant to these drugs. Medical researchers and health professionals are working to address this urgent cholera crisis.
What is Cholera?
Cholera is a disease of the intestines that causes severe diarrhea. It spreads by eating food or drinking water that has the Vibrio cholerae bacteria. Every year, between 1 and 5 million people contract cholera, leading to up to 140,000 deaths.
Cholera is a crisis in over 50 countries. It is most common in developing areas like South America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Cholera cases often increase during rainy monsoon seasons. The seventh cholera pandemic, which started in the 1960s, is ongoing today.
V. Cholerae are tiny, comma-shaped bacteria that thrive in water. People become sick when they drink or eat contaminated food or drink. Once inside the body, the bacteria release a toxin. The toxin makes cells dump water into the intestines, causing diarrhea.
Why is Cholera a Growing Global Health Concern?
The main treatment for cholera is rehydration therapy. Antibiotics can also help reduce symptoms and stop it from spreading. The combination of these approaches has been vital for helping cholera patients.
Despite current interventions’ reliance on them, antibiotics are becoming less effective. From 2018 to 2019, some V. cholerae strains showed Multiple Drug Resistance (MDR). These new variants have developed over the past few years.
Some emerging strains of cholera have improved defenses against antibiotics. These fortified V. cholerae are gaining access to new regions. After COVID-19 restrictions ended, global travel raised the chance of cholera spreading worldwide.
How is Cholera Becoming Resistant to Antibiotics?
Antibiotics see intense use in medicine and farming, making V. cholerae more resistant. Industrial pollution worsens the problem. It exposes bacteria in the environment to these drugs.
V. cholerae adapt by changing their genes. They can swap them or pick up new ones from their surroundings. These genes spread as they move between bacteria in “packages” of genetic material. The new cholera can have evolved to improve survival against antibiotics.
How Are Doctors and Health Workers Responding to Cholera Adaptations?
Doctors and health workers in countries with drug-resistant cholera are using multiple strategies, including:
- Administering vaccines in areas with outbreaks
- Improving sanitation
- Providing clean drinking water
- Chlorinating unsafe water
- Managing waste more efficiently
Effective cholera responses involve both governments and extragovernmental groups. With the right prevention and treatment, death rates can drop to less than 1%.
It is hard to locate the exact parts of V. cholerae that cause antibiotic resistance. A recent study used bioinformatics tools to pinpoint these areas. This helps scientists predict future resistance adaptations.
Current cholera vaccines need more testing to find ways to improve them. New vaccines could target different parts of the bacteria. Thus, cholera treatment could become more effective against MDR strains.
Cholera’s growing resistance to antibiotics poses a serious global risk. Continued monitoring of this threat—and new solutions to fight it—are crucial.
Have an upcoming trip? Passport Health offers a wide variety of options to help keep you safe from disease. Call or book online to schedule your appointment today.
Logan Hamilton is a freelance writer for hire. He’s passionate about crafting crystal-clear, captivating, and credible content that elevates brands and establishes trust. When not writing, Logan can be found hiking, sticking his nose in bizarre books, or playing drums in a local rock band. Find him at loganjameshamilton.com.
