Cholera By Larry M Bush, MD, FACP, Charles E Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University; Maria T Vazquez-Pertejo, MD, FACP, Wellington Regional Medical Center Reviewed / Revised Apr 2022 | Modified Sep 2022 View Patient Education Symptoms and Signs Diagnosis Treatment Prevention Key Points More Information Cholera is an acute infection of the small bowel by the gram-negative bacterium Vibrio cholerae, which secretes a toxin that causes copious watery diarrhea, leading to dehydration, oliguria, and circulatory collapse.