Cholera in Travelers: Shifting Tides in Epidemiology, Management, and Prevention

The distribution of cholera’s devastating effects has changed. While cholera is endemic in 50 countries mostly in Asia and Africa, more than half of the cases reported in 2012 were in the Western Hemisphere, predominantly Haiti. Since the current epidemic began in Haiti in 2010, there has been spread to the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and most recently Mexico. Several recent case reports document individuals returning home from affected areas with diarrhea from cholera, in some cases severe. Hopeful news reported the containment of an outbreak through the use of a Vibrio cholera vaccine. There are safe and effective oral cholera vaccines available and recommended in outbreaks and endemic areas, although they are not currently available in the USA or to travelers. This review aims to discuss the latest data to aid our current recommendations for the prevention of cholera in travelers beyond standard personal and food hygiene precautions for the prevention of travelers’ diarrhea and to offer insights on the most current data available about cholera vaccine progress and potential use.