Once vibrio bacteria are swallowed, they infect the mucous membrane of the small intestine. A toxin produced by the bacteria then makes bodily fluids flow quickly from the bloodstream into the intestines. Sudden, severe diarrhea and dehydration follow, leading to serious problems if left untreated. Incidence Cholera is rare in the United States. The few cases reported each year usually involve travelers returning from Asia or Africa, where the disease is far more widespread and has been known for centuries.
Cholera also occurs in areas around the Mediterranean.
In 1992 the O139 variant of the cholera bacterium was discovered. It produces a more vigorous form of the disease. The O139 bacterium has infected people in India who had become immune to the earlier strain of cholera. Symptoms you are likely to notice About one to five days after initial infection, one may experience nausea , dizziness , and anxiousness. Next a watery, grayish colored diarrhea begins.