Malaria - A Significant Threat?

[Einsam]

Going on a December cruise on the Prinsendam up the Amazon River. How significant is the malaria danger?:confused::confused:

[Hlitner]

You can check on the CDCs website, but it is a risk. The experts will tell you to use lots of Mosquito repellent (Deet is considered the most effective) and you might want to explore the medication options. You also need to make sure if you need to have Yellow Fever Vaccine which must be obtained at special centers and is not cheap.

 

Hank

[grand isle joe]

DEFINATELY GO TO A TRAVEL CLINIC AND/OR DOCTOR THAT SPECIALIZES IN INFECTIOUS DISEASE!!! MALARIA WILL OR CAN KILL!! EVEN IF IT DOESN"T IT CAN GET YOU REALLY SICK for a lifetime... Many a traveler has gone on trips and not taken their meds and shure enough...Malaria. In the North America we don't think of it much but other places in the world it is a killer. That is why the Gates Foundation has pledged hundreds of millions of dollars to eradicate this disease.

[John Bull]

The risk is certainly significant enough to warrant a course of tabs. There are several types, some are ineffective in the Amazon. You need to go see your doctor or pharmacist, armed with your itinerary.

 

There's a lot of sprays etc that help keep mosquitos away. And its best to keep arms & legs covered - so wear pants & long sleeves.

Inside the ship is not a problem, the mosquitos don't like air-con. No big problem on the deck during the day, but the decks are alive with them at night.

 

It's also likely that you'll need a yellow fever jab if you're not already covered. The matter of a yellow fever jab is not just to do with your own health, it's to protect others in case you are a carrier.

It depends where your cruise goes in the following ten days (the incubation period), some countries require a certificate that you've had a jab within the past ten years. The cruise line may also insist.

And its a helluvalot cheaper before you go than using ship's doctor.

Some folk are exempt, but where a certificate is required they have to have a certificate of exemption.

 

JB :)

[dpump]

Contact the travel dept at one of your large universities in the area. They are great and in the know on what is needed, etc. They have all the injections you will need, etc. Sent all my patients there when they were traveling like that.

[PennyAgain]

You don't say where you live, but in many large cities there are travel clinics that specialize in such things.

 

I've traveled in my work to places where care is needed about both malaria and yellow fever. I had to talk with my own physician to get the referal to the travel specialist clinic. My own doc had no particular advice.

 

You must take this all very, very seriously.