The Microbiology of the Vibrio cholerae Bacterium

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The Microbiology of the Vibrio cholerae Bacterium

Abstract

Cholera is a deadly disease that has caused a worldwide phenomenon throughout history. Its imperative weapon, the Vibrio cholerae bacterium, has allowed cholera to seize control and wipe out a huge percentage of the human population. V. cholerae’s toxins are the primary causes of cholera’s lethal symptoms. The bacterium contains toxins that help it accomplish its job of invading the human system and defeating the body’s powerful immune system. With its sibling bacterium Escherichia coli, V. cholerae has become one of the most dominant pathogens in the known world. V. cholerae’s strategies in causing the infamous deadly diarrhea have been widely studied, from the irritation of the intestinal epithelium to the stimulation of capillary leakage, as well as the internal effects of the disease such as the Peyer’s patches on the intestinal walls. Overall, the Vibrio cholera bacterium has made cholera a tough disease to overcome, and because of its deadly virulence factors, cholera has become one of the most frightening diseases a human body could ever encounter.

Introduction

Cholera is a diarrheal illness in the intestinal tract caused by the gram negative bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Vibrio cholerae is a member of the family vibrionaceae and of the genus Vibrio, which are fresh, brackish, or saltwater dwelling anaerobes that have the ability to ferment. Vibrios are highly halophilic, which means that they need salt-rich environment in order to thrive. They are usually rod-shaped and are either straight or curved, and are very sensitive to acid. Vibrios are motile organisms that travel with a single flagellum, and depend on saccharose sugar and starch for their growth a...

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...holera”. 2005. University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Bacteriology. 20 July 2007.

4.) Finkelstein, Richard A. “Cholera, Vibrio cholerae O1 and O139, and Other Pathogenic Vibrios"

5.) "Vibrio cholerae." Online Image. 6 June 2001. MIT Design That Matters: Health Group Design Project. University of Wisconsin. 23 July 2007

6.) "Vibrio cholerae Attachment and Colonization in Experimental Rabbits." Online Image. Cholera, Vibrio cholerae O1 and O139, and Other Pathogenic Vibrios 23 July 2007

7.) "Sodium Movement." Online Image. Optimizing the Intestinal Health Of Baby Calves. Merriks Inc. 24 July 2007 < http://www.merricks.com/intestinal.htm >

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