Infection Control for Cholera in Health Care Settings

Healthcare providers should take precautions to prevent the spread of cholera in clinical settings:

• Chemoprophylaxis with antibiotics is not indicated for healthcare providers
• Hand washing with soap and clean water should be done before and after each patient contact
  • If no water and soap are available, use an alcohol-based hand cleaner (with at least 60% alcohol)
• Several chlorine solutions can be used for disinfection (solution calculations are based on using unscented household bleach with 5–6 % active chlorine):
  • 2% chlorine
    • Made by mixing 3 parts water and 2 parts bleach
    • Used for disinfecting vomit, feces, and corpses
  • 0.2% chlorine
    • Made by mixing 9 parts water and 1 part bleach
    • Used for foot baths, cleaning floors, bedding, latrines
  • 0.05% chlorine
    • Made by mixing 9 parts water and 1 part 0.5% chlorine solution
    • Used for bathing soiled patients, handwashing, rinsing dishes, laundry