This will clearly be a treasure trove for science. Let's get some perspective. This is not comparable with malaria, which kills a million infants in Africa each year, but cholera is much easier to prevent and treat, and there's less excuse for inaction. And there is a growing risk of epidemics as Third World cities explode in size and sanitation lags, says Chaignat.
Cholera comes with bad hygiene, linked to poverty, disruption, migration and war.
This is largely a matter of wealth. Of course the research is fantastic. If we don't advance with science, we'll never change things. But the genome's not going to change anything right now for the patients, for treatment or prevention. ORT is widely available in primary health care settings in Africa and Asia.