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IS A BATERIAL INFECTION CAUSED BY A MICROBE CALLED VIBRIO CHOLERAE THAT THRIVES IN WATER. A PERSON USUALLY BECOMES INFECTED BY DRINKING WATER CONTAMINATED BY FECES AND IS SOMETIMES TRANSMITTED BY RAW OR UNDERCOOKED SHELLFISH. ALTHOUGH CHOLERA IS RARE IN THE UNITED STATES, CHOLERA OUTBREAKS OCCURS IN COUNTRIES THAT HAVE POOR SANITATION, CONTAMINATED WATER SYTEMS, AND POOR HYGEINE. SYMPTOMS ARE LARGE VOLUMES OF WATERY DIARRHEA THAT IS CALLED "RICE WATER STOOLS" BECAUSE IT RESEMBLES WATER THAT HAS BEEN USED TO WASH RICE. OTHER SYMPTOMS ARE DEHYDRATION( SUNKEN EYES, RAPID HEART RATE, LOW BLOOD PRESSURE, WEIGHT LOSS) THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE RAPID LOSS OF FLUIDS FROM DIARRHEA. TREATMENT FOR CHOLERA INCLUDES: IV THERAPY TO REPLACE FLUIDS, ZINC THERAPY, AND ANTIBITOTICS. TO PREVENT CHOLERA WATER NEEDS TO BE SANITIZED BY BOILING, PREPARE FOOD SAFELY, WASH HANDS, AND KEEP TOILETS CLEAN.