Vibrio Cholera

Vibrio Cholera:

Rod/comma shaped bacterium, which can cause dehydration through diarrhoea, 

It can be ingested through 

• Contaminated water
• Food, or preparation

It affects the body through a toxin that it produces, the toxin only affects the upper region of the small intestine as this is the only region with membrane receipts that complement the toxin. 

How:

Many of the organisms are destroyed by the stomach acid, but in the case of a less acidic stomach some bacterium may survive into the small intestine, using their flagella in a corkscrew motion they will pass the mucus layer and anchor itself into the duodenum.

The bacteria will then produce an exotoxin, that binds to specific receipts of the cell surface membrane, and activates the chloride ion channel in the cell membrane. 

This causes the chloride ions to diffuse out of the cells into the lumen. 

Therefore the water potential in the lumen is lowered, so the water moves by osmosis, down its water potential, out of the cells and into the lumen. Producing diarrhoea and dehydration.

Treatment: 

Oral rehydration therapy (ORT), replaces lost water and salts, 

Drink a solution of sugar and salt and water, 

Which will be taken into the cell by the co transported protein, lowering the water potential in the cell, increasing the gradient between the cell and the gut. Therefore water is then taken up by osmosis, back into the cell. Rehydratic cells and reducing diarrhoea.