As cholera continues to surge — and as vaccines remain in short supply — experts are warning about the global risk.

Cholera is a bacterial disease typically spread by food and water, leading to severe diarrhea and dehydration. It has been on the rise around the world since 2021.

Each year, there are some 1.3 to 4 million cases of cholera worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Approximately 21,000 to 143,000 deaths occur as a result.

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Around 473,000 cases were reported to WHO in 2022, which was twice as many cases as the prior year.

Reported cases for 2023 are expected to exceed 700,000.

“It is concerning to see an increase in the number of cholera cases worldwide, with the majority of the cases in Asia, Africa and Latin America,” Dr. Renuga Vivekanandan, M.D., assistant dean and professor at the Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska, told Fox News Digital.

The countries most affected include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Zambia and Zimbabwe, according to UNICEF. 

The disease can spread quickly in locations where there is insufficient treatment of drinking water and sewage. 

Although cholera cases were prevalent in the U.S. in the 1800s, water treatment systems have largely eliminated the disease, per the CDC.

In rare cases, people in the U.S. have contracted the disease from consuming raw or undercooked shellfish from the Gulf of Mexico, the agency stated on its website.

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“In the U.S., the cases have remained very small and are usually from travel exposure,” Vivekanandan noted.

Why the spike in global cases?

Cholera is typically spread when someone drinks water or eats food that is contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, according to the CDC.

The disease can spread quickly in locations where there is insufficient treatment of drinking water and sewage, the agency warned.

Cholera has been on the rise around the world since 2021, according to health officials. (iStock)

It is not typically transmitted from person to person. 

UNICEF noted in a statement that the rise in cholera is driven by “persistent gaps in access to safe water and sanitation.”

“In the U.S., the cases have remained very small and are usually from travel exposure.”

“I think the cases might be increasing due to climate change, displacements of homes due to disasters, and not having good sanitary conditions, such as poor water sources,” Vivekanandan told Fox News Digital.

Symptoms of cholera

Around 10% of the people who are infected with cholera will develop severe symptoms, including watery diarrhea, vomiting and leg cramps, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Advanced symptoms include shock and dehydration. 

Without treatment, the disease can be fatal.

Around 10% of those who are infected with cholera will develop severe symptoms including watery diarrhea, vomiting and leg cramps, according to the CDC. (iStock)

“Dehydration is the biggest concern with cholera, and rehydration is the most important component of treatment,” said Vivekanandan.

“Most patients with cholera will have mild diarrhea, but 10% will have severe diarrhea and will need rehydration and treatment with antibiotics.”

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Some groups are more susceptible to the disease, according to the CDC.

“Individuals with achlorhydria (the absence of hydrochloric acid in digestive stomach juices), blood type O, chronic medical conditions, and those without ready access to rehydration therapy and medical services are more likely to have severe disease from cholera and suffer poor outcomes,” the agency noted.

Treatment and prevention

The most effective treatment for cholera is “immediate replacement of the fluid and salts lost through diarrhea,” the CDC stated.

This is achieved by giving patients a mixture of sugar and salts mixed with 1 liter of water. 

In some severe cases, the patient may require intravenous (IV) fluids.

There is a “severe gap” in the number of available vaccine doses compared to the level of current need, said UNICEF. (iStock)

Some patients also receive antibiotics to make symptoms less severe.

“Persons who develop severe diarrhea and vomiting in countries where cholera occurs should seek medical attention promptly,” per the CDC.

There is a single-dose vaccine for cholera, called Vaxchora (lyophilized CVD 103-HgR).

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Those who are between the ages of 2 and 64 and who are traveling to “an area of active cholera transmission” are eligible to receive it.

There are three other cholera vaccines, but they are not available in the U.S.

What to know about vaccine shortage

There is a “severe gap” in the number of available vaccine doses compared to the level of current need, said UNICEF on its website.

“Between 2021 and 2023, more doses were requested for outbreak response than the entire previous decade,” UNICEF noted.

In rare cases, people in the U.S. have contracted the disease from consuming raw or undercooked shellfish from the Gulf of Mexico, the CDC stated on its website. (iStock)

While cholera vaccines used to be administered in two doses, the International Coordinating Group (ICG) changed the recommendation to a single dose in Oct. 2022 due to the ongoing shortage.

Vivekanandan called the vaccine shortage “very concerning.”

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“This is a serious infection, and we must invest financial and other resources to reduce the worldwide burden,” he told Fox News Digital.

“International resources need to be committed, and partnerships with pharmaceutical companies need to happen to help produce more vaccines.”

“This is a serious infection, and we must invest financial and other resources to reduce the worldwide burden.”

Vivekanandan also urged people who are traveling from the U.S. to other countries to review the CDC’s travel guidance and get any required vaccines.

“I would also recommend that people follow good travel medicine guidance, such as drinking bottled water, eating well-cooked food and making sure to have good hand hygiene,” he added.

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“As the WHO has stated, we need to have multi-pronged approaches, with a combination of surveillance, water, sanitation and hygiene, social mobilization, treatment, and oral cholera vaccines available for communities at high risk.”

The disease can spread quickly in locations where there is insufficient treatment of drinking water and sewage. (iStock)

On the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website, Vaxchora is listed as a “resolved shortage.”

The FDA noted that Emergent Travel Health, manufacturer of the vaccine, announced in May 2021 the temporary discontinuation and distribution of Vaxchora, “due to a significant reduction of international travel caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The shortage is listed as having been resolved in May 2023.

Fox News Digital reached out to WHO, the FDA and Emergent requesting comment.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health. 

A 10-year-old girl in Pennsylvania is in dire need of a bone marrow transplant — and her mother is on a mission to find the perfect match.

Lani Walter suffers from a disease called DOCK8 deficiency (dedicator of cytokinesis 8 deficiency), an immunodeficiency syndrome that can cause recurrent, life-threatening infections. 

DOCK8 is very rare, with only 250 people worldwide currently diagnosed, statistics show. The only cure for DOCK8 is a bone marrow transplant — also known as a hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT).

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Ashleigh Walter, a kindergarten teacher, is pleading for people to join the bone marrow/blood stem cell registry to help her daughter find a donor by summer.

“Time is of the essence,” she told Fox News Digital.

Search for answers

Walter’s daughter was diagnosed with DOCK8 when she was 7½ years old, the culmination of a long series of symptoms and illnesses.

“Lani’s health issues started at just a couple of months old,” Walter told Fox News Digital during an interview. “As a baby, she had full-body eczema from head to toe and continuous ear infections.”

At 11 months old, she was diagnosed with severe allergies to eggs, milk, peanuts, tree nuts and many other foods. She’s also experienced continuous skin infections and staph infections.

In Jan. 2021, the family was invited to a clinic at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), where Walter’s daughter was able to see specialists from immunology, allergy and dermatology together in one appointment.

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“They all came together to try and figure out what might be going on,” Walter said. “Each of the specialties ran their own special bloodwork to see what was going on with Lani.”

The results showed some abnormalities in the immune system, and doctors recommended doing genetic testing.

Lani Walter, pictured, has suffered from health issues since birth. She was diagnosed with a DOCK8 deficiency when she was 7 years old. The only known cure is a bone marrow transplant.  (Ashleigh Walter)

A few months later, the family received the news that Walter’s daughter has two variants of the DOCK8 gene.

“If you have issues on both sides of the gene, that’s when you present with the disorder,” Walter said. “Testing showed that both my husband and I are recessive carriers to the DOCK8 variant, which we passed down to Lani.”

She added, “So that was when we found out that all of the health issues Lani has experienced throughout her entire life were not unrelated.”

“All of the health issues Lani has experienced throughout her entire life were not unrelated.”

Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, was not involved in Lani Walter’s care but commented on the condition.

“DOCK 8 is a rare immune condition where the bone marrow doesn’t make enough immune cells and the immune cells that are made have trouble penetrating into dense tissue, like skin,” he told Fox News Digital.

After the diagnosis, Walter’s daughter was invited to visit the National Institute of Health in Maryland, where researchers are studying DOCK8 deficiency. 

Lani Walter, left, is pictured with her mother, older sister and father. If she does not find a 100% perfect bone marrow match, her mom, Ashleigh Walter, who is a 50% match, will donate. (Ashleigh Walter)

“We go there about every six months to see how Lani is doing, and what they recommend as she gets older,” Walter said.

The symptoms of DOCK8 deficiency tend to get more severe as the child grows into late adolescence and early adulthood, doctors have said.

Some of the biggest concerns are respiratory difficulties and a higher risk of various cancers, along with the ongoing risk of infections.

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To help manage her condition, Walter’s daughter has been getting weekly intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) infusions, which add human antibodies to help fight off infections.

She also takes daily antibiotics to help prevent pneumonia, uses an inhaler to help her respiratory system and takes other medications to treat different illnesses she experiences as a result of her DOCK8 deficiency.

Lani Walter’s hobbies include swimming, crafting, bike-riding, and spending time with her friends and pets. (Ashleigh Walter)

“That’s probably one of the least favorite parts of her day, when I tell her that she needs to take her medicine,” Walter said.

Since the only cure for her condition is a bone marrow transplant, “her doctors recommend that Lani has [the] transplant to help cure the DOCK8 before she gets older.”

What to know about bone marrow transplants

Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurologist and longevity expert at Senolytix, described HSCT as a “transformative reset button” for patients suffering from DOCK8 deficiency.

Osborn is not involved in Lani Walter’s care.

“Imagine your immune system as a computer plagued by a virus,” he told Fox News Digital.

“HSCT can mean a dramatic shift toward immunologic normalcy, providing a new lease on life.”

“HSCT removes the compromised ‘software’ and installs new, functional cells. For individuals with DOCK8 deficiency — who typically face frequent infections, severe allergies and increased cancer risk — HSCT can mean a dramatic shift toward immunologic normalcy, providing a new lease on life.”

Siegel also emphasized the procedure’s importance, calling it a “crucial life-saving procedure.”

Dr. Marc Siegel, left, and Dr. Brett Osborn, right, both weighed in on the importance of a diverse bone marrow registry. (Dr. Marc Siegel/Dr. Brett Osborn)

The average wait for a transplant is about three months, according to Siegel.

“They are very expensive — about $190,000,” he said. “Insurance generally covers the procedure, but not the cost of finding a donor.”

There is around a 25% chance that a sibling will be a match. In Lani Walter’s case, her 14-year-old sister was not a match.

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“The overall chance of finding a match in the world is 1/3 to 2/3,” Siegel said.

The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) maintains a registry of people who are willing to donate. The Walter family found a 90% match on the registry, but the optimal situation would be to find a 100% match.

“There’s much less risk with the bone marrow transplant if you can find that perfect match,” Walter told Fox News Digital. 

‘Time is of the essence’

Lani Walter’s doctors recommend that she receives the donation before she starts middle school. Next year, she will start fifth grade.

“Ideally, we would do it before Lani sees significant issues with other organs in her body,” said Ashleigh Walter. 

“Joining the bone marrow registry could be your most profound gift.”

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If the family does not find a perfect match, Walter said she will donate to her daughter, as parents are always half-matches.

“Obviously, we would still love for her to be able to find a full match on the donor registry, which is much less of a risk,” she said. “But if that’s not possible, we can move forward with a half match.”

Lani Walter’s doctors are recommending she receive the bone marrow donation before she starts middle school. Next year, she will start fifth grade. (Ashleigh Walter)

With partial matches, there is a higher risk of “graft versus host disease,” which is a complication that occurs when donor bone marrow or stem cells attack the recipient.

“It can cause different issues throughout the body, similar to an organ transplant rejection,” Walter said.

If her daughter receives a successful bone marrow transplant, Walter said — she will be cured of DOCK8.

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“She won’t have an immune deficiency anymore,” she said. “She’ll adopt the immune system of the donor, and we won’t have to worry about any of those increased risks at all.”

Walter is hopeful that her daughter — whom she describes as “a little kid at heart” — will soon be healthy and able to return to the activities she loves, including swimming.

If her daughter receives a successful bone marrow transplant, Ashleigh Walter said, she will be cured of DOCK8. Walter is hopeful that her daughter will soon be healthy and able to return to the activities she loves (Ashleigh Walter)

“Lani has been on a swim team since kindergarten, and this will be her first summer not doing it,” Walter said. 

She also enjoys bike-riding, crafting, and spending time with her friends and pets.

A call to register

There are millions of potential donors on the bone marrow registry — with more than 300,000 Americans joining just last year — but Walter noted that the likelihood of someone finding a perfect match is very low. 

“The more people who join the registry, the more likely that a perfect match will be there for you,” she said.

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As a neurosurgical trauma surgeon, Osborn of Florida said he can attest to the dire need for blood and bone marrow donors.

“There is a critical shortage of both,” he said. “In emergency and surgical settings, the availability of blood products can be the difference between life and death.”

People can join the bone marrow registry by visiting the NMDP’s website to order a test kit. “It’s a really simple cheek swab kit that they’ll send to your house and then you send it back,” Walter said. (iStock)

It’s “vital” to have diversity in the bone marrow registry, Osborn noted.

“A closely matched donor reduces complications and improves outcomes,” he said.

“This emphasizes why everyone should consider joining the registry. We can all manufacture these potentially life-saving blood products, and by donating, we fulfill a crucial societal need.”

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While some have the misconception that donation is difficult, Osborn said that’s not the case.

“Donating bone marrow is a low-risk, outpatient procedure associated with only minor discomfort. It’s a great way to pay it forward.”

“In emergency and surgical settings, the availability of blood products can be the difference between life and death.”

People can join the bone marrow registry by visiting the NMDP’s website to order a test kit.

“It’s a really simple cheek swab kit that they’ll send to your house and then you send it back,” Walter said. “You don’t have to pay any money for anything.”

“The more people that join, the more people who can find their perfect match.”

“For conditions like DOCK8 deficiency, a bone marrow transplant can offer a chance at a healthier life,” Osborn added.

“Joining the bone marrow registry could be your most profound gift, potentially saving a life with your healthy cells.”

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.

Fox News Digital publishes a range of health and wellness pieces all week long to keep you in the know.

Health coverage includes articles on new medications, mental health challenges, groundbreaking resources, personal medical stories and more.

In case you missed them as the weekend winds down and you gear up for a week ahead, here are few of our biggest health stories from this week.

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These are just a few of what’s new, of course. 

See a full list of recent health pieces at http://www.foxnews/health. 

1. Anger can spike heart attack risk

Feeling angry for as little as eight minutes a day could raise your chances of experiencing a cardiac event, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. A cardiologist shares 7 strategies to cope with anger and reduce the risk. Click here to get the story.

2. Eating this fruit could reduce diabetes risk

Regularly consuming avocados could be helpful when it comes to avoiding diabetes, according to a study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Nutritionists weigh in. Click here to get the story.

Diabetes-reducing effects were observed in female study participants — but the same benefits were not found in men, per this research. (iStock)

3. High E. coli found in raw meats and dog food

Researchers discovered high levels of antibiotic-resistant E. coli in samples of raw beef, chicken, pork and lamb sold at grocery stores and pet stores. Experts indicate whether people should be concerned. Click here to get the story.

“E. coli is an intestinal bacterium that may propagate in cows and chickens used for meat, especially when they are raised in squalor or close together.” (iStock)

4. Texas cats die after drinking bird flu-contaminated milk

A group of cats who were given raw milk from diseased cows died between March 19 and March 20, according to a CDC report. Experts discuss how this highlights the importance of safe practices. Click here to get the story.

A cluster of cats on a Texas dairy farm (not pictured) died after drinking raw milk from dairy cows affected by bird flu, according to a CDC report. (iStock)

5. Caregiver stress can be reduced

Caring for an aging parent and a child at the same time can bring plenty of extra challenges. Experts share stress-reducing strategies for members of the “sandwich generation.” Click here to get the story.

For members of the so-called “sandwich generation,” doing double-duty caregiving can take a toll, experts say. (iStock)

6. Mammogram guidance is updated

Women should get mammograms every other year starting at age 40, according to updated recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). The previous guidance said women should begin biennial mammograms at age 50. Click here to get the story.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, according to the American Cancer Society. (iStock)

7. Common nutrient can boost cancer immunity

Eating a diet rich in one vitamin has been shown to improve responses to immunotherapy and reduce tumor growth. Nutritionists explain the benefits. Click here to get the story.

8. Earbuds could be a health hazard

“Noise-canceling earbuds may bring welcome silence, but they might also mask vital sounds that could save your life,” an expert warns. Here’s how to use the technology safely. Click here to get the story.

Each week, Fox News Digital publishes a range of health and wellness pieces to keep you in the know — eight key stories are highlighted in this article.  (iStock)

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.