The cholera and enterotoxigenic escherichia coli vaccine protects against bacteria that causes travellers’ diarrhea and cholera.
Vaccines can provide protection against a single disease, or can be made to provide protection against more than one disease. Vaccines that provide protection against more than one disease are called combined vaccines. This vaccine is available only as a combined vaccine, as it protects against both cholera and travellers’ diarrhea.
You should consider this vaccine if you meet any of the following criteria:
- Travellers visiting high-risk areas
- Health care professionals working in high-risk areas, relief workers, and those traveling in areas where health care is not easily available
- People who have gastrointestinal problems
- People with a history of abdominal surgery
- People with a history of travelers’ diarrhea
- People who have an illness that affects the body’s ability to fight infection (for example, HIV or cancer)
- People with long-lasting illness (for example, diabetes)
This vaccine is considered a travel vaccine, and is not offered routinely as part of the Ontario Immunization Schedule.
- People who have had a serious allergic reaction to any ingredient in the vaccine or to a previous dose of the vaccine itself should not receive the vaccine.
Your health care provider will ask you questions about your health before giving you any vaccine. This will help them identify allergies you might have and to safely manage potential allergic reactions.
You could have mild side effects after being vaccinated, but they usually go away in one to two days. Some of these side effects may include:
- stomach pain
- diarrhea
- nausea
- vomiting
Some people can be allergic to the vaccine, just like they might have a food or medication allergy.
Risks and benefits
Talk to your health care provider about getting vaccinated if you have special health conditions or concerns. Learn more about special considerations before being vaccinated.
Other important information
This vaccine is taken by mouth. You should not eat or drink for 1 hour before and 1 hour after taking the vaccine
