A Naples-area woman has been confirmed as the first Floridian to contract cholera after visiting Haiti, and other potential cases in other areas also are being tested, state health officials said Wednesday.

But Department of Health doctors said the woman's infection poses virtually no risk to the public in Florida because U.S. sewer and water systems eliminate the bacteria from drinking water, which is primarily how it spreads.

"We don't anticipate we will see any transmission as a result of exposure in Haiti in Florida or anywhere else in the U.S. ... because our water and sanitiation system minimizes the risk," said Dr. Thomas Torok, a disease investigator with the health department.

The only real risk to Floridians would occur if they had direct contact with bodily fluids from an infected person, including if the patient worked in a job with public contact, cholera experts said. The woman does not work in such a job.

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