How does cholera transmitted

However, the risk for cholera is very low for people visiting areas with epidemic cholera when simple prevention steps are taken.

All visitors or residents in areas where cholera is occurring or has occurred should follow recommendations to prevent getting sick:. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Cholera - Vibrio cholerae infection. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. General Information. Minus Related Pages. Below you will find answers to commonly asked questions about cholera. On This Page. What is cholera? Where is cholera found?

How does a person get cholera? What are the symptoms of cholera? How long after infection do the symptoms appear? Who is most likely to get cholera? What should I do if I or someone I know gets sick? How is cholera diagnosed? What is the treatment for cholera? Should I be worried about getting cholera from others?

How can I avoid getting sick with cholera? Since , six pandemics have swept over the world, and the seventh one is in progress. The disease is caused by infection of the small intestine by Vibrio cholerae O1 and O and is characterized by massive acute diarrhoea, vomiting, and dehydration: death occurs in severe, untreated cases. Cholera is a highly contagious disease, and is transmitted primarily by ingestion of faecally-contaminated water by susceptible persons.

Besides water, foods have also been recognized as an important vehicle for transmission of cholera. Foods are likely to be faecally contaminated during preparation, particularly by infected food handlers in an unhygienic environment. The physicochemical characteristics of foods that support survival and growth of V. For adults traveling from the United States to areas affected by cholera, a vaccine called Vaxchora is available in the United States. It is a liquid dose taken by mouth at least 10 days before travel.

A few other countries offer oral vaccines as well. Contact your doctor or local office of public health for more information about these vaccines. Even with the vaccine, it's important to take the above precautions to prevent cholera.

Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Cholera is a bacterial disease usually spread through contaminated water.

Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Kliegman RM, et al. In: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. Elsevier; Accessed Dec. Ferri FF. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. World Health Organization. LaRocque R, et al.