From The Archives: What is cholera and how do you prevent it?

A boy plays in floodwaters in Bangkok on November 8, 2021. Cholera is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae and is spread by direct faecal to oral contamination or through ingestion of contaminated water and food, which is usually associated with poor management of the environment. – Photo: Lillian SUWANRUMPHA/ AFP)

In this 2009 article published amidst a global resurgence of the disease at the time, long-time The Doctor Says columnist Dr Milton Lum explained what cholera is, how it is spread and how to prevent it.

This story originally appeared in StarLifestyle (then known as StarTwo) on 9 December 2009, and has been edited for brevity and clarity.