What is the Current Situation?
An outbreak of cholera has been ongoing in the Dominican Republic since November 2010. According to the Dominican Ministry of Health (Ministerio de Salud Publica y Asistencia Social or MSP), as of August 19, 2012, there have been a total of 26,712 suspected cholera cases and a total 415 suspected cholera-related deaths since the cholera epidemic began. Cholera cases have begun to rise due to the rainy season.
What is Cholera?
Cholera is a bacterial disease that can cause diarrhea and dehydration. Cholera is most often spread through the ingestion of contaminated food or drinking water. Water may be contaminated by the feces of an infected person or by untreated sewage. Food is often contaminated by water containing cholera bacteria or by being handled by a person ill with cholera.
Most travelers are not at high risk for getting cholera, but people who are traveling to the Dominican Republic should exercise caution to avoid getting sick.
CDC recommends that all travelers prepare a travel health kit when going abroad. If you are planning travel to the Dominican Republic, CDC advises packing the following supplies in your travel health kit to help prevent cholera and to treat it.
- A prescription antibiotic to take in case of diarrhea
- Water purification tablets
- Oral rehydration salts
Before departing for the Dominican Republic, talk to your doctor about getting a prescription for an antibiotic. If you get sick with diarrhea while you are in the Dominican Republic, you can take the antibiotic, as prescribed. Also, remember to drink fluids and use oral rehydration salts (ORS) to prevent dehydration.
If you have severe watery diarrhea, seek medical care right away.
No cholera vaccine is available in the United States, however India does have an oral cholera vaccine manufactured by Shantha biotech, named Shanchol. Two doses are given by mouth over 15 days and they provide protection against cholera for at least 2-3 years.
In Canada: Dukoral vaccine is available for the Canadian
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