Cholera in the United States

Cholera, caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, is very rare in the U.S. Cholera was common domestically in the 1800s but water-related spread has been eliminated by modern water and sewage treatment systems.

Learn more about clean and safe water at CDC Healthy Water. 

Nearly all of the cholera cases reported in U.S. are acquired during international travel. U.S. travelers to areas with cholera (for example, parts of Africa, Southeast Asia, or Haiti) may be exposed to Vibrio cholerae.

Learn more about cholera prevention for travelers.

During outbreaks in countries near the U.S., such as Haiti in 2010 and Latin America in the 1990s, cholera cases reported domestically increased ¹. In addition, contaminated seafood brought into the U.S. has caused cholera infections from foodborne outbreaks.

Learn more about foodborne disease outbreaks.