CHOLERA

Cholera is an extremely virulent disease that is caused by ingesting contaminated water or food

OVERVIEWSIGNS & SYMPTOMSDISEASE PROTECTION

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CHOLERA SYMPTOMS ARE POTENTIALLY SEVERE

People who do experience symptoms develop either mild-to-moderate symptoms or acute watery diarrhoea (ACW) 12 hours to five days after infection.1

ACW and vomiting cause severe dehydration, which can lead to death if left untreated.2

In pregnant women, cholera is a risk factor for miscarriages and premature birth.3

CHOLERA CAN EASILY SPREAD

75%

of infected people do not develop symptoms.4

UP TO FOURTEEN DAYS

after infection, cholera bacteria can still be present in faeces.4

ONLY 5-10%

of global cholera cases are likely to be reported according to the WHO.5

THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO TREAT CHOLERA

Treatment for cholera involves rehydration following the loss of fluids from diarrhoea. Patients can be treated with large volumes of oral rehydration solution, which is a preparation of sugar and salts mixed with water.6,7

Severe cases may require intravenous fluid replacement and antibiotics may also be administered to shorten the length of diarrhoea episodes and decrease the excretion of Vibrio cholerae bacteria.6

With prompt administration of rehydration fluids, less than 1% of cholera patients die.People who develop severe diarrhoea and vomiting in a country where cholera is known to occur should seek medical attention immediately.6

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHOLERA

Get in-depth info on signs, symptoms, disease protection, and more.

CHOLERA

OVERVIEW

Gain a useful overview of this potentially fatal but vaccine-preventable disease.

CHOLERA

DISEASE PROTECTION

Help protect your patients against the risk of developing cholera.

Useful Links
References
  1. World Health Organization. Cholera. December 2024. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cholera. Accessed: July 2026.
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cholera. Cholera. May 2025. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/cholera/about/index.html. Accessed: July 2026.
  3. El Hayek P, Boueri M, Nasr L, Aoun C, Sayad E, Jallad K. Cholera Infection Risks and Cholera Vaccine Safety in Pregnancy. Infect Dis Obstet Gynecol. 2023;2023:4563797.
  4. World Health Organization. Cholera EMRO. October 2024. Available at: https://www.emro.who.int/health-topics/cholera/. Accessed: July 2026.
  5. Lippi D, Gotuzzo E, Caini S. Cholera. Microbiology Spectrum. 2016;4(4):10.1128/microbiolspec.poh-0012-2015.
  6. NaTHNaC Travel Health Pro. Cholera. August 2024. Available at: https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/factsheet/56/cholera. Accessed: July 2026.
  7. World Health Organisation. Cholera outbreaks. World Health Organisation. March 2023. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/cholera-outbreaks. Accessed: July 2026.

UK-CHOL-2600002 July 2026