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Immunizations - travel vaccinations - Management
What schedule is used for cholera vaccination?
- Immunization should be completed at least 1 week prior to potential exposure to Vibrio cholerae O1.
- Primary immunization:
- Give adults and children over 6 years old two doses.
- Give the second dose between 1 and 6 weeks after the first dose.
- Restart the course if more than 6 weeks have elapsed between the first and second doses.
- Give children aged 2–6 years three doses:
- Give the second dose between 1 and 6 weeks after the first dose.
- Give the third dose between 1 and 6 weeks after the second dose.
- Restart the course if more than 6 weeks have elapsed between doses.
- Booster doses:
- Give adults and children over 6 years old a booster dose 2 years after completing the primary course.
- Give children aged 2–6 years a booster dose 6 months after completing the primary course.
- If more than 2 years have elapsed since the last vaccination, the primary course should be repeated.
- The need to repeat a primary course of the immunization is unique to this vaccine.
- Cholera vaccine is not recommended for children under 2 years of age.
Basis for recommendation
- These recommendations are based on expert opinion from the published medical literature [BNF 52, 2006; DH, 2006c].
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