The Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed that there is a cholera case in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. The Ministry of Health urged public to drink only boiled water, not to eat raw and uncooked food.
Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with Vibrio cholerae. Cholera is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Vibrio cholerae is found in water and the most common cause of infection is the consumption of water contaminated with faeces from patients.
Vibrio cholerae produces cholera toxin, which causes secretory diarrhoea that continues even when no more food is consumed, and a rice-washed stool is characteristic of cholera.
Cholera is a highly fatal disease that can cause severe acute watery diarrhoea. A person develops symptoms between 12 hours and 5 days after ingesting contaminated food or water. Cholera affects both children and adults, and if left untreated, death can occur within a few hours.
Most patients infected with Vibrio cholerae do not show any symptoms, however, the bacteria can appear in the patient’s faeces and be excreted into the surrounding environment within 1 to 10 days of infection, making it possible to infect others.
Most of the symptomatic patients will have mild or moderate symptoms, while a small number will develop acute watery diarrhoea with severe dehydration. If left untreated, this can lead to death.
