Vaxchora is the first vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration for 
the prophylaxis of cholera infection. Cholera, a potentially life-threatening 
bacterial infection that occurs in the intestines and causes severe diarrhea and 
dehydration, has a low incidence in the U.S., but a high incidence in Africa, 
Southeast Asia, and other locations around the world. These areas draw travelers 
from the U.S., so cholera can present in patients who return from visits to 
these regions. Previous means of prophylaxis included the use of doxycycline for 
the prevention of traveler's diarrhea, but doxycycline is not specific for 
cholera. With the approval of Vaxchora, a live attenuated, single-dose, oral 
suspension vaccine, travelers can now visit these areas with less chance of 
contracting the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, which causes cholera infections.