The Major Symptoms of Cholera are Attributable to Which of the Following

Question

The major symptoms of cholera are attributable to which of the following?
A) production of urease
B) activity of a type III secretion system
C) cessation of protein synthesis in host cells
D) death of cells lining the intestinal tract
E) activation of adenylate cyclase

Accepted Answer

The major symptoms of cholera, which include severe diarrhea, are primarily due to the activation of adenylate cyclase in the cells lining the intestinal tract. This activation is caused by the cholera toxin produced by the Vibrio cholerae bacteria. The toxin leads to an increase in cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels, resulting in the secretion of large amounts of water and electrolytes into the intestinal lumen, which manifests as watery diarrhea.