Side Effects of Dukoral

The World Health Organization reports that each year there are more than 200,000 reported cases of cholera throughout the world. Cholera is an infectious disease mainly transmitted through contaminated drinking water. An oral vaccine is available in many countries to help prevent the spread of cholera. In Canada and the United Kingdom, the brand name of this vaccine is Dukoral. Despite its effectiveness, Dukoral is not for everyone as it presents several risks for side effects and complications in some patients.

Significant Side Effects

• The most significant or common side effects of Dukoral usually pose no long-term dangers. Canada's C-Health reports that these common side effects occur in more than 1 percent of patients and typically affect the gastrointestinal system. Ordinarily, side effects appear shortly after administration of the vaccine and disappear as your body becomes accustomed to the medication. After receiving Dukoral, it is common to experience abdominal pain, diarrhea or vomiting. For minor cases of diarrhea, be sure to replace lost fluids in order to prevent dehydration. If these side effects become severe, you should contact your doctor.

Types of Other Minor Side Effects

• Dukoral also has the potential to cause a number of other uncommon, but not dangerous, side effects. For example, many patients experience dermatological side effects related to Dukoral, such as itching on the bottoms of the feet or palms or the appearance of hives. Additional gastrointestinal side effects of Dukoral include flatulence, nausea and loss of appetite. It is also possible to experience neurological side effects like headaches and dizziness. Some patients report fevers or coughing after receiving the Dukoral vaccine.

Risks

• Though rare, Dukoral has the potential to cause serious allergic reactions in some patients. The first signs of an allergic reaction are often itching around your mouth and swelling of your lips. Without medical attention, the reaction often progresses to more dangerous symptoms. You may experience swelling of your throat, difficulty breathing and a racing heartbeat. In rare instances, allergic reactions to Dukoral result in shock or even death. If you experience any signs of an allergic reaction at any point after receiving a Dukoral vaccine, seek prompt emergency medical care.

Features: Drug Interactions

• There are some medications which produce unwanted side effects when used in conjunction with Dukoral. For example, taking an oral typhoid vaccine within eight hours of Dukoral has the potential to cause an increase in side effects while decreasing the effectiveness of both vaccines. In addition, it is important not to take any oral medications or vaccines within an hour of Dukoral as doing so also increases your risk of side effects. Dukoral is likely to be less effective at preventing cholera in patients receiving treatment with immunosuppressant drugs like corticosteroids.

Considerations

• Because there is not yet sufficient evidence that Dukoral has no unwanted effects upon the fetus, doctors typically do not recommend the drug for pregnant women. In addition, doctors typically do not administer the vaccine to children under the age of 2. If you have a HIV or AIDS or a history of allergies to formaldehyde, Dukoral may not be safe for you to take due to its potential side effects. If you are suffering from a fever or illness that affects your gastrointestinal tract on the day of your vaccination, you may need to reschedule as such illness may be exacerbated by Dukoral.