Malaria and Mexico

Does anyone know about the risk of getting malaria by traveling to Quintana Roo ( Yucatan Pennisula, Mexico)?

The travel books tell you to wear insect repellent with DEET, but I just found out the Red Cross won't let a US citizen give blood for a year after a trip there!

I am going, but I really want to know if it makes sense to get a prescription to take the preventative medication?

We leave in three weeks! Thanks a lot.

It's up to you, but I think it's a very slim chance you would contract malaria in the tourist areas of the Yucatan Pennisula. That area is a very popular destination for people from all over the world.

We've been there twice, but I have never heard the warning about malaria. Cruise ships dock at Playa Del Carmen on a daily basis and Cancun is also a very popular tourist destination (about 45 min. to 1 hour drive from Playa Del Carmen).

I just traveled to Playa del Carmen (by way of Cancun) a month ago. Some of the travel forums that I frequent mentioned mosquitos and bringing bug spray, which I forgot. No need, after all. I didn't notice any bugs. We have more bugs here in the midwest (all right, in the summertime) than I've ever seen anywhere else. Don't let that worry you. And if you are worried, cancel and go somewhere else.

nancyr79 wrote:

Does anyone know about the risk of getting malaria by traveling to Quintana Roo ( Yucatan Pennisula, Mexico)?

The travel books tell you to wear insect repellent with DEET, but I just found out the Red Cross won't let a US citizen give blood for a year after a trip there!

I am going, but I really want to know if it makes sense to get a prescription to take the preventative medication?

We leave in three weeks! Thanks a lot.

I've been deep in the back country of the Yucatan and there are bugs, but I would just get bug repellent and not be too concerned about Malaria if you don't plan on trekking into the remote areas. In most of the heavily travelled areas, there are relatively few, especially on the coast with a breeze. Yes, I could not give blood last month because of where I had been, but that is all part of travel.

I did take malaria seriously on a past trip to Panama, and bought Malaron, which came out to about $5 per pill, you have to take it a week before going and a week after coming out of the infested area. Also got yellow fever, hepatitis, typhoid and few other protective immunizations. Had I not planned on going deep into the jungle, I probalby would not have spent the money on the shots.

If you don't already know this site, here is the world disease outlook: http://www.cdc.gov/travel/camerica.htm

Infectious diseases aren't the worst thing that can happen to you overseas. Motorcycle accidents may be the greatest cause of injury for travelers. Also, be sure you don't drink while you drive.

Don't tell funny stories while you are a passenger, either. When we were in Acapulco, I told a story so funny the cab driver ran off the road. Does that mean he speaks English?

There is also Hepatitis A and C to consider. Just this week at the Academy Awards' Governor's Ball, all those A-list partyers were exposed to HepA by one of Wolfie's imported food handlers. :oops: So you don't have to go all the way to Mexico for that one.

C.

p.s. the CDC link posted above is excellent. Resorts appear to be bug free if they are on the coast and urban. Don't forget the bug spray, and read up on Tea Tree. If you smell sweet(diabetic, for example), any bugs will find you. If you smell icky, they stay away.

Thanks to all of you for the information. We are leaving this Friday and plan to have a great time!

carries25 wrote:

Infectious diseases aren't the worst thing that can happen to you overseas. Motorcycle accidents may be the greatest cause of injury for travelers. Also, be sure you don't drink while you drive.

Don't tell funny stories while you are a passenger, either. When we were in Acapulco, I told a story so funny the cab driver ran off the road. Does that mean he speaks English?

There is also Hepatitis A and C to consider. Just this week at the Academy Awards' Governor's Ball, all those A-list partyers were exposed to HepA by one of Wolfie's imported food handlers. :oops: So you don't have to go all the way to Mexico for that one.

C.

p.s. the CDC link posted above is excellent. Resorts appear to be bug free if they are on the coast and urban. Don't forget the bug spray, and read up on Tea Tree. If you smell sweet(diabetic, for example), any bugs will find you. If you smell icky, they stay away.

carries25 wrote:

If you smell sweet(diabetic, for example), any bugs will find you. If you smell icky, they stay away.

That's a new one to me....and I am a diabetic. Once again, I had no problems in the Yucatan.

denise1130 wrote:

carries25 wrote:

If you smell sweet(diabetic, for example), any bugs will find you. If you smell icky, they stay away.

That's a new one to me....and I am a diabetic. Once again, I had no problems in the Yucatan.

Travel to Mexico every year and both coasts. The mosquitos have never been a problem. Then only time we ever use anything is when you get bit by the no-seems on the beach at sunset...those nasty little flies. I wouldn't worry about malaria. If you are check the US travel advisories or call your doc. Have a great trip, Beth

ira10 wrote:

Travel to Mexico every year and both coasts. The mosquitos have never been a problem. Then only time we ever use anything is when you get bit by the no-seems on the beach at sunset...those nasty little flies. I wouldn't worry about malaria. If you are check the US travel advisories or call your doc. Have a great trip, Beth

Thanks to all of you for all this information. We just got back last night and we had a wonderful time. There wasn't a mosquito in sight ( not even at Chichen Itza or Ek Balam) and we didn't even use the bug spray. I really appreciate all the help.

nancyr79 wrote:

ira10 wrote:

Travel to Mexico every year and both coasts. The mosquitos have never been a problem. Then only time we ever use anything is when you get bit by the no-seems on the beach at sunset...those nasty little flies. I wouldn't worry about malaria. If you are check the US travel advisories or call your doc. Have a great trip, Beth

Thanks to all of you for all this information. We just got back last night and we had a wonderful time. There wasn't a mosquito in sight ( not even at Chichen Itza or Ek Balam) and we didn't even use the bug spray. I really appreciate all the help.

Just remember that Health warnings and Terrorist warnings are usually the "worst case" scenario's. People from all over the world travel to some very remote places and rarely have a problem, unless it is of their own doing.

But you get a "Star" for asking first.

jons29 wrote:

nancyr79 wrote:

ira10 wrote:

Travel to Mexico every year and both coasts. The mosquitos have never been a problem. Then only time we ever use anything is when you get bit by the no-seems on the beach at sunset...those nasty little flies. I wouldn't worry about malaria. If you are check the US travel advisories or call your doc. Have a great trip, Beth

Thanks to all of you for all this information. We just got back last night and we had a wonderful time. There wasn't a mosquito in sight ( not even at Chichen Itza or Ek Balam) and we didn't even use the bug spray. I really appreciate all the help.

Just remember that Health warnings and Terrorist warnings are usually the "worst case" scenario's. People from all over the world travel to some very remote places and rarely have a problem, unless it is of their own doing.

But you get a "Star" for asking first.

C.

nancyr79 wrote:

Does anyone know about the risk of getting malaria by traveling to Quintana Roo ( Yucatan Pennisula, Mexico)?

The travel books tell you to wear insect repellent with DEET, but I just found out the Red Cross won't let a US citizen give blood for a year after a trip there!

I am going, but I really want to know if it makes sense to get a prescription to take the preventative medication?

We leave in three weeks! Thanks a lot.

Hello, we just got back from D.R. in the Caribbean and we got many bites...the bugs seem to come out after the rain...although it was sunny 9 days of the 11 we were there the last two days I recieved over 70 bites. I would suggest wearing deet after a rain. I talked to a man who had taken the shots and been all over the world..he said the shots made him sick and he advised not getting them and not to worry. If you go to Africa it is a horse of a different color.

cheryls187 wrote:

nancyr79 wrote:

Does anyone know about the risk of getting malaria by traveling to Quintana Roo ( Yucatan Pennisula, Mexico)?

The travel books tell you to wear insect repellent with DEET, but I just found out the Red Cross won't let a US citizen give blood for a year after a trip there!

I am going, but I really want to know if it makes sense to get a prescription to take the preventative medication?

We leave in three weeks! Thanks a lot.

Hello, we just got back from D.R. in the Caribbean and we got many bites...the bugs seem to come out after the rain...although it was sunny 9 days of the 11 we were there the last two days I recieved over 70 bites. I would suggest wearing deet after a rain. I talked to a man who had taken the shots and been all over the world..he said the shots made him sick and he advised not getting them and not to worry. If you go to Africa it is a horse of a different color.

I don't know of any shots that protect against malaria. I used Malarone on past trips to Panama, and just came back last week from the southern Yucatan(Q.R. and Campeche) near Belize and Guatamela border, and did not use any Malaria protection, but did use insect repellent. In all I only got bit less than a dozen times, even where the mosquitos were swarming. I even brought net headcovers and bedding nets but never used either of them.

The best advice is to prepare for the bugs with DEET or a new repellent (that I don't remember the name, but I think is by Cutter) that supposedly works equally as well.

There really is no excuse for getting excessive bites, just as there is no excuse for getting badly sunburned. It all comes down to being prepared.