Overview:
Cholera is a bacterial infection. It is caused by drinking or eating contaminated water or food which has come into contact with contaminated water. Those at higher risk are humanitarian aid workers working in disaster areas, travellers with remote itineraries where there has been an outbreak of the disease and who have limited access to sources of save water and medical care.
Signs & Symptoms:
- Feeling unwell, feeling and being sick
- Pains in the stomach
- Diarrhoea often very watery and severe
Onset of these symptoms can start quite quickly after just a few hours but also can start a few days after infection. Severe diarrhoea plus vomiting can lead to serious dehydration and in worst cases can be fatal. It is important that re-hydration treatment and control of the diarrhoea is started as soon as possible.
Medicines Sans Frontier video clip for more information concerning cholera
Cholera vaccine is an oral vaccine – consists of two doses from 7days to 6 weeks apart. You should avoid eating for 1 hr before and after each dose.
Cholera vaccine has been shown to protect against other causes of travellers diarrhoea (TD), eg E.coli (ETEC) – however this is not the traditional method for avoiding TD