Cholera Vaccine
Cholera is a severe diarrhoeal disease spread through contaminated water. The oral cholera vaccine is recommended for travellers to areas with active outbreaks or poor sanitation — and also provides short-term partial protection against a common cause of travellers' diarrhoea.
What is cholera?
Cholera is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae and is contracted through contaminated water or food. It can cause profuse watery diarrhoea leading to rapid dehydration. While rare in tourists, the risk is higher for aid workers, those in disaster zones, and travellers in areas with compromised water supplies.
Who needs this vaccine?
- Aid, humanitarian, and healthcare workers in cholera-affected regions
- Travellers to areas with active cholera outbreaks
- Those travelling to high-risk areas with limited access to clean water
- Travellers seeking additional protection against enterotoxigenic E. coli (a major cause of travellers' diarrhoea)
Doses & schedule
Dukoral is an oral vaccine — two doses taken 1–6 weeks apart, at least one week before travel. It should not be taken with food or drink for one hour before and after each dose. Protection against cholera lasts up to 2 years; against ETEC (travellers' diarrhoea), approximately 3 months.
Frequently asked questions
No — the cholera vaccine (Dukoral) is an oral drink, not an injection. It consists of two doses taken by mouth, mixed with a small amount of water.
Partially, yes. Dukoral provides some protection against ETEC (enterotoxigenic E. coli), which is responsible for around 40% of travellers' diarrhoea cases. Protection lasts around 3 months. It does not protect against all causes of travellers' diarrhoea.
For standard tourist travel, cholera vaccination is not routinely recommended. It's primarily for aid workers, those in high-outbreak areas, or travellers who want partial protection against travellers' diarrhoea. Your clinician can advise based on your specific itinerary.
Book your Cholera vaccination
Oral course, no injections. Same-day appointments available.