Department of Zoology, Gurudas College, Narkeldanga, Kolkata-700 054, India.
Asian Pac J Trop Med. 2011 Jul;4(7):573-80. doi: 10.1016/S1995-7645(11)60149-1.
Cholera, caused by the infection of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae (V. cholerae) to humans, is a life threatening diarrheal disease with epidemic and pandemic potential. The V. cholerae, both O1 and O139 serogroups, produce a potent enterotoxin (cholera toxin) responsible for the lethal symptoms of the disease. The O1 serogroup has two biotypes (phenotypes), classical and El Tor; each of which has two major serotypes (based on antigenic responses), Ogawa and Inaba and the extremely rare Hikojima. V. cholerae O1 strains interconvert and switch between the Ogawa and Inaba serotypes. Fluid and electrolyte replacement is the mainstay of treatment of cholera patients; the severe cases require antibiotic treatment to reduce the duration of illness and replacement of fluid intake. The antibiotic therapy currently has faced difficulties due to the rapid emergence and spread of multidrug resistant V. cholerae causing several outbreaks in the globe. Currently, cholera has been becoming endemic in an increasing number of geographical areas, reflecting a failure in implementation of control measures. However, the current safe oral vaccines lower the number of resistant infections and could thus represent an effective intervention measure to control antibiotic resistance in cholera. Overall, the priorities for cholera control remain public health interventions through improved drinking water, sanitation, surveillance and access to health care facilities, and further development of safe, effective and appropriate vaccines. Thus, this review describes the facts and phenomena related to the disease cholera, which is still a great threat mainly to the developing countries, and hence a grave global concern too.
霍乱是由产毒霍乱弧菌（Vibrio cholerae）感染人类引起的，是一种具有流行和大流行潜力的致命腹泻病。霍乱弧菌，包括 O1 和 O139 血清群，产生一种强效肠毒素（霍乱毒素），导致疾病的致命症状。O1 血清群有两种生物型（表型），古典型和埃尔托型；每种都有两种主要血清型（基于抗原反应），即 Ogawa 和 Inaba，以及极其罕见的 Hikojima。V. cholerae O1 菌株在 Ogawa 和 Inaba 血清型之间相互转换和切换。霍乱患者的主要治疗方法是补液和电解质替代；严重病例需要抗生素治疗以减少疾病持续时间和补充液体摄入。由于具有多重耐药性的霍乱弧菌迅速出现和传播，导致全球发生了几起疫情，抗生素治疗目前面临困难。目前，霍乱在越来越多的地理区域流行，这反映出控制措施的失败。然而，目前安全的口服疫苗可降低耐药感染的数量，因此可能是控制霍乱抗生素耐药性的有效干预措施。总体而言，霍乱控制的重点仍然是通过改善饮用水、卫生、监测和获得医疗保健设施等公共卫生干预措施，以及进一步开发安全、有效和适当的疫苗。因此，本文综述了与霍乱这一仍然对发展中国家构成重大威胁的疾病相关的事实和现象，这也是一个严重的全球关注问题。
