Editing Vibrio cholerae (section)

== Preventive measures ==
When visiting areas with epidemic cholera, the following precautions should be observed: drink and use bottled water; frequently wash hands with soap and safe water; use chemical toilets or bury feces if no restroom is available; do not defecate in any body of water and cook food thoroughly. Supplying proper, safe water is important.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cdc.gov/cholera/preventionsteps.html|title=Five Basic Cholera Preventions|website=Center for Disease Control and Prevention|access-date=20 November 2019|archive-date=15 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815203323/https://www.cdc.gov/cholera/preventionsteps.html|url-status=live}}</ref> A precaution to take is to properly sanitize.<ref name="sciencedirect.com">{{cite book |doi=10.1016/B978-1-4557-4801-3.00216-2 |chapter=''Vibrio cholerae'' |title=Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases |author1=Matthew K. Waldor |author2=Edward T. Ryan |date=2015 |pages=2471–2479.e2 |isbn=9781455748013 }}</ref> Hand hygiene is an essential in areas where soap and water is not available. When there is no sanitation available for hand washing, scrub hands with ash or sand and rinse with clean water.<ref>"Five Basic Cholera Prevention Steps | Cholera | CDC." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/cholera/preventionsteps.html.</ref> A single dose [[cholera vaccine|vaccine]] is available for those traveling to an area where cholera is common.

There is a ''V. cholerae'' vaccine available to prevent disease spread. The vaccine is known as the, "oral cholera vaccine" (OCV). There are three types of OCV available for prevention: Dukoral®, Shanchol™, and Euvichol-Plus®. All three OCVs require two doses to be fully effective. Countries who are endemic or have an epidemic status are eligible to receive the vaccine based on several criteria: Risk of cholera, Severity of cholera, WASH conditions and capacity to improve, Healthcare conditions and capacity to improve, Capacity to implement OCV campaigns, Capacity to conduct M&E activities, Commitment at national and local level<ref name="who.int">"Oral Cholera Vaccines." World Health Organization, World Health Organization, 17 May 2018, www.who.int/cholera/vaccines/en/.</ref> Since May the start of the OCV program to May 2018 over 25 million vaccines have been distributed to countries who meet the above criteria.<ref name="who.int"/>