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Why is handwashing after defecation important for preventing cholera?

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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.

Handwashing after defecation is a critical practice for preventing the spread of cholera because the disease is primarily transmitted through the fecal-oral route.12

Cholera is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, which is shed in the feces of infected individuals. If hands are not thoroughly washed after using the toilet, the bacteria can easily contaminate surfaces, food, or water supplies. Because the disease spreads when individuals ingest water or food that has been contaminated with these bacteria, maintaining strict hand hygiene is essential to break the chain of transmission.123

Along with the hygienic disposal of human waste and the use of safe, clean water, handwashing serves as a fundamental barrier that prevents the bacteria from entering the digestive system, where they would otherwise release an enterotoxin that causes severe fluid loss.123