Cholera toxin
Toxina del cólera
- Date
- 1959 · confidence high
- Place
- Calcutta Medical College, Calcutta (Kolkata), West Bengal, India
- Credited to
- Sambhu Nath De
- People
- 👤 Sambhu Nath De1915–1985
- Field
- Life & health
What was discovered
Using a ligated rabbit intestinal loop model, De showed that a bacteria-free filtrate of Vibrio cholerae triggers massive fluid secretion. He proved that cholera is caused by an exotoxin rather than bacterial invasion.
Koch had suspected a toxin in 1884; De's work took decades to be recognised.
What it led to
- study of bacterial enterotoxins
- understanding of secretory diarrhoea
- oral rehydration therapy