Britannica Sources used in this answer

How did oral rehydration therapy change cholera treatment in the 20th century?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

A woman in a pink dress receives medical treatment from nurses administering an IV at a crowded hospital in Saint-Marc, Haiti. — cholera A woman with cholera being treated by nurses at St. Nicholas Hospital in Saint-Marc, Haiti, 2010.

Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) revolutionized the treatment of cholera in the 20th century by providing a simple, effective, and accessible alternative to intravenous (IV) therapy.12

Before this breakthrough, cholera treatment relied heavily on IV fluids, which required sterile equipment, specialized medical training, and constant supplies—resources often unavailable during outbreaks. The development of ORT was based on the critical discovery that the small intestine absorbs sodium more efficiently when paired with glucose. This mechanism allows the body to replenish lost fluids and electrolytes directly through oral intake.21

The efficacy of this approach was famously demonstrated during a 1971 cholera outbreak among refugees, where the use of oral rehydration salts reduced the fatality rate from 30 percent to 3.6 percent. By eliminating the need for needles and IV tubing, ORT democratized life-saving care, making it possible to treat patients in resource-limited settings. Today, oral rehydration therapy remains the primary treatment for cholera and other diarrheal diseases, having saved countless lives worldwide.12