Cholera and its Effects on Human Health
Cholera, which is caused by a rod-shaped facultatively anaerobic bacteria known as Vibrio cholerae, is an illness caused by the ingestion of infected water or other organisms that have ingested such water.
2-4-year-olds, as well as those with type O blood, are most likely to contract Cholera. Upon contraction, an infected human can experience the following symptoms and, in particularly bad cases, death.
- Watery Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Dehydration
- Nausea
- Leg Cramps
- Restlessness
Medical professionals are capable of identifying Cholera with a serological confirmation; however, it has developed antibiotic resistance over time. This resistance is due to reduced permeability, active efflux of the antibiotics, alterations of the antibiotic's targets, and potential chemical modification of the antibiotics. The main treatments currently available for those infected with Cholera are IV fluids and oral rehydration. However, prevention is still the best defense against the disease. We intend to use this website to explore a less-used method of acquiring safe water: extracting it from plants.