Cholera Prevention
Those most at risk of contracting cholera are travellers to high-risk areas, such as parts of Africa and Asia, as well as Haiti. To best protect yourself from contracting cholera in these areas, make sure you:
- Avoid certain foods, such as raw or under-cooked seafood, and any food or drink from street vendors.
- Only eat cooked food that is served hot.
- Only eat fruit that you can peel yourself (such as bananas).
- Wash your hands thoroughly before eating or drinking and after using the toilet.
- Only drink bottled water or water treated with iodine or chlorine tablets.
- Avoid ice that may have been made from unclean water.
If you’re travelling to areas where cholera is known to be prevalent, please come in and chat with us about ways to minimise your risk of exposure.
The best treatment for cholera is rehydration to replace the fluids lost through diarrhoea. Travelling with electrolyte tablets is a wise move.
Cholera can be life-threatening if the person infected is unable to keep fluids down. In this case, hospitalisation and intravenous fluid replacement is required.
What is cholera?
Cholera is an acute illness caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, which affects the small intestine and causes severe diarrhoea. It is spread when people eat or drink food or water contaminated with faeces from a person infected with cholera.
Cholera symptoms
Symptoms are often mild, if present at all, except in severe cases. Symptoms can include:
- Sudden onset of watery diarrhoea
- Dehydration
- Nausea early in the illness
For more information please view this website.
For information on other vaccines, see also: