What should you know about cholera live vaccine?

A live vaccine uses a weakened form of the cholera organism to train the immune system. It is intended to reduce the chance of cholera after exposure; protection is not a reason to ignore hygiene, food safety, or local travel advice. Follow the product instructions and the schedule given by a clinician, because preparation and timing can differ between products.

The vaccine is not a treatment for active watery diarrhoea. Cholera can cause rapid loss of water and salts, so early rehydration remains central even when someone has been vaccinated. Read more about [Diarrhoea](/symptoms/diarrhoea/).

Tell the vaccinator about pregnancy, immune problems, serious allergies, recent illness, and medicines you take. Ask how to prepare and take each dose, whether food or drink needs to be separated from it, and when another dose is due. Keep using treated water, wash hands, and eat food that has been cooked and served safely.

If diarrhoea begins, start an appropriate oral rehydration solution and contact a healthcare professional promptly. Severe fluid loss may require [Oral Rehydration Therapy](/treatments/acute-and-urgent-care/oral-rehydration-therapy/) or [IV Fluid Therapy](/treatments/acute-and-urgent-care/iv-fluid-therapy/).

Seek urgent medical help for repeated watery stools with marked thirst, very little urine, dizziness, unusual sleepiness, confusion, fainting, or inability to drink. These signs can indicate serious dehydration. A vaccinated person still needs assessment if symptoms are severe, worsening, or affecting a child, older adult, or someone with a significant medical condition.

Ask whether this vaccine is suitable for your age and health, how its doses should be timed, what side effects to watch for, and what precautions to take during travel or an outbreak.