Imported cholera in a 31-year-old Peruvian female

We present the case of a 31-year-old Peruvian female with severe dehydration due to diarrhea and vomiting. The patient was one of a number of travelers arriving in Los Angeles on an international flight from Argentina and Peru. Because of the travel history and clinical presentation, cholera was suspected and ultimately confirmed by stool culture. The patient's clinical course is outlined, and discussion of the relevant epidemiology and clinical management of cholera is provided. Physicians should suspect cholera when treating patients with severe gastroenteritis. The short incubation period, rapid onset of dehydration and shock, and high case fatality rate of untreated cholera require a consideration of cholera in patients with diarrhea and recent travel to areas where cholera is prevalent.