Oral cholera vaccines and their impact on the global burden of disease

With one-third of nations at risk of cholera, we can expect to experience massive, rapidly disseminated, and prolonged cholera outbreaks such as those recently experienced in Yemen and Haiti. The prevention of cholera outbreaks like these includes the provision of potable water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). This approach has been known for generations. However, it will be many years before universal global access to WASH is achieved. While working toward universal WASH, study data has shown that licensed and WHO prequalified cholera vaccines are important tools for cholera prevention. Oral inactivated whole-cell vaccines such as Shanchol and Euvichol-plus provide well-documented direct benefits to vaccine recipients and to the unimmunized through herd protection. Manufacturers have now increased the cholera vaccine supply, and since 2013 vaccine doses have been available for emergency and endemic control through a global stockpile. Advances in packaging and vaccine temperature control, reduced vaccine costs, the inclusion of pregnant women in vaccine campaigns, and a targeted approach to high incidence endemic areas are further increasing the usefulness of these vaccines for reducing the global cholera burden.