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Which foods can transmit cholera when they are contaminated?
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cholera
A woman with cholera being treated by nurses at St. Nicholas Hospital in Saint-Marc, Haiti, 2010.
Cholera is primarily a waterborne disease, but it can be transmitted through food that has been irrigated, washed, or cooked with contaminated water. Foods with the highest potential to transmit the disease include:12
- Shellfish and seafood: These are particularly dangerous if consumed raw.12
- Fruits and vegetables: Produce grown in soil fertilized with human excrement or irrigated with raw sewage carries a high risk of contamination.12
- Food packed in contaminated ice: Ice made from unsafe water sources can introduce the bacteria to food products.12
To prevent infection, it is essential to ensure food safety by thoroughly cooking all food—including leftovers—to a core temperature of 70 °C (158 °F) and consuming it while hot. Additionally, travelers in areas where cholera is endemic should avoid food sold by street vendors, as these are frequently implicated as sources of infection. Maintaining high standards of hygiene, such as washing hands before food preparation, is also critical for prevention.3