Cholera is a life-threatening secretory diarrhea induced by enterotoxin secreted by V. cholerae. It is a water-borne illness caused by ingesting water or food contaminated by copepods infected by V. cholerae. Cholera is classified as an enterotoxic enteropathy and is considered a major epidemic disease. There have been several cholera pandemics throughout history, with the 7th pandemic caused by V. cholerae O1 biotype El Tor starting in Asia in 1961 and spreading to other continents in the 1970s and 1980s.