Amazon Malaria Question

[habita]

We will be going on the HA Amazon Cruise. I really don't wan to take all those pills to prevent Malaria. Are long sleeves and insect repellent enough? Have you heard of anyone on one of these cruises that contracted Malaria.

Thanks:confused:

[VidaNaPraia]

We will be going on the HA Amazon Cruise. I really don't wan to take all those pills to prevent Malaria. Are long sleeves and insect repellent enough? Have you heard of anyone on one of these cruises that contracted Malaria.

Thanks:confused:

 

The water is acidic and doesn't support mosquito larvae. If you are jungle hiking, you may encounter them.

IMO the mosquito danger that is overlooked in Brazil by many tourists, even/especially in the major cities, is dengue, which there is no injection or pill to prevent. Those mosquitos fly even during the day. Use 100% Deet repellent and long sleeves/pants during dengue season.

And consult a good travel medicine specialist who knows Brazil (and isn't just reading the CDC site or equivalent) instead of asking such questions on a travel forum.

[Fattony]

The water is acidic and doesn't support mosquito larvae. If you are jungle hiking, you may encounter them.

IMO the mosquito danger that is overlooked in Brazil by many tourists, even/especially in the major cities, is dengue, which there is no injection or pill to prevent. Those mosquitos fly even during the day. Use 100% Deet repellent and long sleeves/pants during dengue season.

And consult a good travel medicine specialist who knows Brazil (and isn't just reading the CDC site or equivalent) instead of asking such questions on a travel forum.

 

If we say, sure, go ahead, you would? If you wear long-sleeved clothing, will you also wear a mosquito netting hat? If we say to risk it, and you do, and get malaria, will we still be friends?

 

Water too acidic for mosquitoes? They breed in water throughout the area. Doesn't have to be in the flowing Amazon. The mosquitoes don't stop at the jungle border with the river. I doubt you'll find doctors at home who are familiar with Brazil, and the Amazon jungle in particular. Brazilian doctors I know (e.g., my wife) would recommend you take anti-malarial prophylaxis and that you should, in fact, read sites such as CDC's (though not rely just on that). CDC recommends it in States of Acre, Amapa, Amazonas, Maranhaõ, Mato Grosso, Para, Rondonia, Roraima, and Toncantins. Also present in urban areas, including cities such as Belem, Boa Vista, Macapa, Manaus, Maraba, Porto Velho, and Santarem. No transmission at Iguassu Falls. http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/travelers/country_table/b.html

 

You may find traveler vaccination clinics where they know more about tropical diseases than in other places, but chances are they rely on resource such as the CDC, PAHO (Pan American Health Organization), etc. http://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2425&Itemid=1972&lang=en You certainly want to talk with a physician who knows your personal health history, since they would know what risks you might encounter using the anti-malarial prophylaxis recommended in that area.

 

Comes down to your acceptance of the risk. When I worked in Mozambique, I knew people who did not take anti-malarial prophylaxis, feeling they could avoid the disease or that the disease was worse than the prevention. A few got malaria. Others didn't. Those people were working there. Most, but not all, people I know who visited for a brief time took preventive measures.

 

I do agree about the danger of dengue. It's transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. There's no vaccination, but it is generally easily treatable if treatment begins as soon as symptoms appear. If you're on a cruise or in a major hotel, there should be doctors who know the symptoms, and you can read up on them at CDC, PAHO, etc. The hemorrhagic strain of dengue is much more serious but is also much rarer.

[5waldos]

And for what it is worth- many people take the medication and have no problems at all. But I completely agree with the people who have posted- this is too important a decision to leave to random strangers online.

 

As far as dengue, unless there is new info on it, it was my understanding that there are 3 forms of it and the first time you get it- not horrible. It is only when you get a second, and different, strain that the much more serious problems occur. However, that info is no more than a decade old so there may newer information out there.

[Loreto]

There was a man on our Amazon Explorer cruise last December who wore long sleeves and a mosquito net over his hat, but his hands were uncovered...so was he really protected? We took Malarone for the prescribed time. We had mild headaches, and nasal problems (not serious but noticable) as did most on the ship. It was a trade off for being protected.

 

Be sure to use deet insect repellant liberally. I agree with others, talk to a knowlegable professional about your concerns.

 

It was worth the mild reaction for the trip of a lifetime!

 

Karen

[Floridiana]

We had no side effects whatsoever and nobody on the ship mentioned any. Our trip was in November, at the beginning of the rainy season. We were on the second ship going up to Manaus. Not a single mosquito in sight, not on the ship and not in the forest, maybe because the entire group was covered in a cloud of insect repellent. lol The danger was minimal, but we did not know beforehand. My husband's motto is better safe than sorry.

[5waldos]

Read some first hand descriptions of a life with malaria. Convinced me for sure!

[Keith1010]

I am very prone to bug bites.

 

We took a cruise that included several days on the Amazon River earlier this year.

 

We brought the Malarone but did not use nor need it.

 

If we were going into the jungle that would have been a different story but we did not in terms of the excursions we booked so we had no issues.

 

Keith

[Fattony]

And for what it is worth- many people take the medication and have no problems at all. But I completely agree with the people who have posted- this is too important a decision to leave to random strangers online.

 

As far as dengue, unless there is new info on it, it was my understanding that there are 3 forms of it and the first time you get it- not horrible. It is only when you get a second, and different, strain that the much more serious problems occur. However, that info is no more than a decade old so there may newer information out there.

 

Both my wife and mother-in-law have had the hemorrhagic strain. It was bad the very first time. The regular, more common, strain is not as serious but can be very uncomfortable. Serious problems can indeed occur the first time with any strain, but that can vary widely by case. Best advice is, of course, to avoid the bites if you can, and IF you exhibit symptoms of the disease, get treatment right away. Malaria, on the other hand, can be largely prevented with prophylaxis.

 

http://www.cdc.gov/Dengue/

http://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=264&Itemid=363

[Keith1010]

We will be going on the HA Amazon Cruise. I really don't wan to take all those pills to prevent Malaria. Are long sleeves and insect repellent enough? Have you heard of anyone on one of these cruises that contracted Malaria.

Thanks:confused:

 

I posted earlier but also want to ask you are you planning to take any excursions that will take you into the jungle? If not, it's your call but as I mentioned earlier we didn't need any and trust me bugs love me.

 

To be on the safe side you can purchase clothing that offers protection. The one we have purchased for our next trip on a Safari to Africa is Bugs Away by Exofficio

 

Keith

[habita]

Thank you for your replies. We are only doing the excursions in the daytime. I still have not heard from any cruise passenger that that has contracted Malaria on the Amazon Cruise.

[Happy cruises]

We went to a travel clinic through our health insurance....BCBS Federal Program and were advised to get Hepatitus A and B, DPT, if you haven't had one in 10 years and yellow fever(because were going to Iguazu Falls). If you're not going to the interior of Brazil you wouldn't need the Yellow Fever vaccination. Malaria pills were not necessary according to the doctor. We also got the flu shot and some Zofran for seasickness. These vacinations were covered entirely by BCBS, but Medicare doesn't cover anything. If we didn't have insurance this little trip to the doctor would have cost $907 for me and $664 for my husband. He didn't need the Hep. B due to getting it through his work.

Hope this helps.

[Floridiana]

Yellow Fever vaccinations were required for our Amazon cruise to Manaus.