Step 1: Recall what cholera is.
Cholera is a severe diarrhoeal disease that spreads through water contaminated with human waste. It can cause rapid loss of body fluids and, if not treated fast with fluids and salts, can be fatal within hours.
Step 2: Identify the causal organism.
Cholera is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. This bacterium produces a toxin inside the small intestine that makes the gut cells pump out huge amounts of water and salts, leading to watery, "rice water" stools.
Step 3: Rule out the other options.
A virus (option B) causes diseases like influenza, dengue, and hepatitis, not cholera. A fungus (option C) causes infections such as ringworm or candidiasis, again unrelated to cholera. Algae (option D) are plant like organisms found in water bodies; they are not disease causing agents in humans at all.
Step 4: Final Answer.
Cholera is caused by a bacterium, specifically Vibrio cholerae.
\[ \boxed{\text{Bacteria}} \]