ABSTRACT
The enterotoxin of Vibrio cholerae (CT) is responsible for the major manifestations of cholera, including severe abdominal cramping and the discharge of voluminous amounts of ‘‘rice-water’’ diarrhea (1). Left untreated, the loss of fluids and electrolytes in cholera results in severe dehydration and death within hours of onset. Cholera is contracted from drinking water contaminated with human fecal waste, which provides a vehicle for rapid dissemination of this diarrheal disease (2). Although V. cholerae infection can be treated with antibiotics and its symptoms countered by rehydration therapy and electrolyte replenishment, cholera continues to be a serious problem in developing nations having poor sanitation systems and inadequate medical facilities (3).
