Cholera Recommendations for prevention in travellers

Introduction

This article about cholera is part of our travel medicine series for 2010, providing a summary of prevention strategies and vaccination for infections that may be acquired by travellers. The series aims to provide practical strategies to assist general practitioners in giving travel advice, as a synthesis of multiple information sources which must otherwise be consulted.

Cholera is a severe diarrhoeal disease associated with worldwide pandemics. It affects vulnerable populations who lack adequate quality drinking water and sanitation. Travellers are generally at low risk of contracting cholera, even in endemic areas. It is prevented with general water and food precautions (also advisable for prevention of traveller’s diarrhoea). In some situations, the oral killed whole cell B subunit vaccine may be recommended for travellers considered at risk.