 The 2008 cholera outbreak was caused by widespread infection with the bacterium "Vibrio cholerae" which is spread through water contaminated with the feces of infected individuals.Cholera had been seen in Zimbabwe in the decade leading up to the 2008 outbreak.However, the severity of the 2008 has been attributed to a combination of societal factors including poor access to health care and poor health care infrastructure, high HIV prevalence, political instability, food shortages, high levels of displaced people, and lack of access to safe water.