Tropical Diseases

[BamaVol]

Hearing that I would be visiting the Panama Canal in March, a friend recommended I read The Path Between the Seas about the development and building of the canal.  It’s a long book and I’m past the halfway mark.  Malaria and Yellow Fever killed tens of thousands of workers over the time it took to create the canal.  They are still a factor in tropical climates.  It made me wonder and I visited the CDC website to look at my ports.

 

 

Jamaica and Grand Cayman look safe, as does Costa Rica.

 

I am more concerned about Cartagena, Columbia and Limon, Panama.  Should I be vaccinated? It’s not a requirement. I’m going to be nervous the first mosquito I spot.  Are these routinely carried at Walgreens or my local Doc in a Box?

 

[Essiesmom]

There is a vaccine for yellow fever.  Used to be you needed a shot every ten years.  Now it’s one and done.  Also not recommended for seniors, although I was over 65 at the time of my last shot.  
Limon is in Costa Rica, although the bay at the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal is called Limon Bay.  
To my knowledge there is no vaccine for malaria.  There are drugs to take to decrease the likelihood of developing malaria.  I have taken some of them.  I don’t hear much about them anymore.  
I don’t think you should worry.  EM

[LHT28]

We have done the Canal  several times  never needed any  vacinces

If you are going into the jungle  then yes do check with a travel clinic

We took bug spray with DEET   & never used it  but  were not in the jungle of any of the port areas

[GeezerCouple]

45 minutes ago, BamaVol said:

Hearing that I would be visiting the Panama Canal in March, a friend recommended I read The Path Between the Seas about the development and building of the canal.  It’s a long book and I’m past the halfway mark.  Malaria and Yellow Fever killed tens of thousands of workers over the time it took to create the canal.  They are still a factor in tropical climates.  It made me wonder and I visited the CDC website to look at my ports.

 

 

Jamaica and Grand Cayman look safe, as does Costa Rica.

 

I am more concerned about Cartagena, Columbia and Limon, Panama.  Should I be vaccinated? It’s not a requirement. I’m going to be nervous the first mosquito I spot.  Are these routinely carried at Walgreens or my local Doc in a Box?

 

I would suggest speaking with your primary care physician about the risks to you personally, given your medical history and current state of health.

They will be better able to discuss with you about *your* general risks of the diseases (both risk of actually getting it and the risks from having it if you do get it) and also your general risks from getting any vaccinations.

 

You may have some health issues that would put you at higher risk of a bad outcome (no prediction is 100%, of course)... either way.

 

In our case, whenever we go someplace "novel" (for us, anyway), in addition to our regular physicians, we make another visit to the Travel Clinic, who also have access to all of our medical records.

 

For example, in one case a few years ago, we were advised that one of us should get a certain vaccination, but the other of us had a specific risk factor and thus should *not* get that same vaccination.

 

GC

[BamaVol]

25 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

There is a vaccine for yellow fever.  Used to be you needed a shot every ten years.  Now it’s one and done.  Also not recommended for seniors, although I was over 65 at the time of my last shot.  
Limon is in Costa Rica, although the bay at the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal is called Limon Bay.  
To my knowledge there is no vaccine for malaria.  There are drugs to take to decrease the likelihood of developing malaria.  I have taken some of them.  I don’t hear much about them anymore.  
I don’t think you should worry.  EM

Oops. Meant to type Colon, not Limon. 
 

We are over 65, but fit and healthy. It might be best to just bring the bug spray. I don’t think we will leave the ship in Panama and we will save the jungle for Costa Rica. Hopefully no issues in Cartagena. I’ve had too many shots in the last couple years. I’d like to avoid unnecessary ones. They used to use quinine to prevent or treat malaria. I am willing to drink as many gin and tonics as needed. 

[klfrodo]

When I traveled for work, I would visit a Travel clinic prior to departure. Prior to visiting Djibouti Africa, I had to receive a Yellow Fever vaccination and they would also issue a prescription for chloroquine to satisfy the required anti-malaria medication. Of course, I would also take a prescription diarrhea medication in case things got bad.

 

If you are truly concerned either hit up your primary care provider or visit a Travel Clinic near you. Google for the travel clinic.

[Greg4502]

I have been through the Canal twice now. Have been to all those cities. Have been on jungle cruises, have seen mosquitos swarming. Have never been bitten by mosquitos. I do use a good bug spray. I do carry it with me, on excursions, for reapplication. The only time I have been bitten, was on an Alaska cruise and I was on the ship. We were slow cruising by the Dawes Glacier. A lot of seals still on the ice flows, I think they were coming from them. Never have been vaccinated.

 

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, BamaVol said:

Hearing that I would be visiting the Panama Canal in March, a friend recommended I read The Path Between the Seas about the development and building of the canal.  It’s a long book and I’m past the halfway mark.  Malaria and Yellow Fever killed tens of thousands of workers over the time it took to create the canal.  They are still a factor in tropical climates.  It made me wonder and I visited the CDC website to look at my ports.

 

 

Jamaica and Grand Cayman look safe, as does Costa Rica.

 

I am more concerned about Cartagena, Columbia and Limon, Panama.  Should I be vaccinated? It’s not a requirement. I’m going to be nervous the first mosquito I spot.  Are these routinely carried at Walgreens or my local Doc in a Box?

 

There is no secret that traveling in the tropics (or even sub-tropics) increases your risk of being exposed to various bacteria, viruses and parasites that are not normally an issue at home.  Those of us who do a lot of travel generally learn to accept those risks as part of traveling around the world.  While there are some vaccinations (such as Yellow Fever) there are many other diseases for which there are no vaccinations.  Sometimes one can reduce the risk through some kind of prophylaxis drug (such as for malaria) but otherwise, it is about common sense and some luck.  Diseases spread by mosquitos can be minimized by using mosquito repellents.  Many parasites can be mitigated by being discriminating on where and what you eat.  

 

We live in Mexico (part of the year) where there are some issues such as chikungunya which also is found just about anywhere in the Caribbean, Central or South America.  Those of us who live here (in Puerto Vallarta) simply accept that as an acceptable risk just like we accept that parasites in food are possible (but unlikely if one practices some basic common sense).  In our PV Condo we keep a 20 Liter Bottle of purified water on our kitchen counter, even though our tap water (in this building) is very safe,  

 

For those that have trouble handling the anxiety associated with some increased risk, I guess they should either stay home, take some anti-anxiety drugs (also risky), or do what most travelers do which is to simply "live with it."  

 

Hank

 

 

 

 

[evandbob]

Discuss the need for vaccines with your MD.  Hepatitis vax (A & B) and updated tetanus shot may be more pertinent than yellow fever vax.

 

The CDC has different level warnings for countries under "travelers health".

[wcook]

Mosquitos carry all sorts of nasty diseases and you should take strong precautions to avoid getting bit no matter what.

 

As for Yellow Fever, technically it’s recommended. But the risk is extraordinarily low unless you are going someplace with an active ongoing outbreak. I’m one of the most pro-vaccine people you will meet, but I wouldn’t bother. And it can be a bother to get the shot.

 

There is no vaccine for Malaria. There are a couple drugs to prevent getting infected, but they all have problems. If you were overnighting in the jungle that would be one thing. If staying on a cruise ship and visiting cities?? Again, I wouldn’t bother. 

[wcook]

2 hours ago, BamaVol said:

I am willing to drink as many gin and tonics as needed. 

Don’t forget the lime. Wouldn’t want to come down with scurvy. 

[Capt_BJ]

today, these disease issues are typically only found in interior regions and NOT coastal and certainly not in 'tourist' areas.

[Silver Sweethearts]

On 2/19/2023 at 1:28 PM, Capt_BJ said:

today, these disease issues are typically only found in interior regions and NOT coastal and certainly not in 'tourist' areas.

With all due respect, we ran into a heavy mosquito population in Papeete in what would be considered coastal and tourist areas.  Thankfully, the repellents we used worked.

[K32682]

The CDC, WHO and Health Canada malaria maps tend to be a little dramatic and take into account a worst case scenario. My travel doc strongly recommended malaria prophylaxis for a business trip to northern Namibia based on a map. A local doctor I met gave me the real story. It was the dry season (no mosquitos,) I was in an urban area and that the malaria cases she saw came from itinerate workers coming down from Angola and further north. The malaria meds went into the bin. On subsequent trips in the rainy season I used DEET. No worries. 

[sanger727]

Yellow fever vaccine has been extremely difficult to get through the pandemic. I do not know if it is easier to get now. When we went to Peru in 2021 the only option was through a travel clinic and they wanted $400 for it so I didn't get one. 

 

Malaria prevention is easy to get and pretty readily available. I usually take it to be on the safe when it doubt. I'm type O blood and mosquitos flock to me wherever I go. 

[Turtles06]

@BamaVol We've just returned from our 3d and 4th full transits of the Panama Canal.  All of these cruises have taken us to tropical locations, including Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia [note the spelling], Nicaragua, and Guatemala.  Before each such trip, we always check the CDC page for each country and then visit a local travel clinic.  I recommend you do the same (or see your doctor), and get medical advice from experts.

 

That said, I can tell you our experience (in addition, of course, to keeping up our routine immunizations).  We've been vaccinated against Hep A, which is prevalent throughout the world, including here in the U.S.   It's a good immunization for anyone to have.  Before our Canal cruises, we've also made sure that we are current on typhoid vaccine.  That's it, no Yellow Fever vaccine (we're too old for that anyway) and no malaria prophylaxis.

 

When we go ashore in the tropics, we use a good insect repellent.  Our preference is picaridin over DEET, as its less greasy. YMMV.   On all four of these cruises, we never saw a single mosquito.  It's unusual for cruise ship passengers to be ashore at dawn or dusk, a more likely time for mosquito activity.  Still, we lather on the picaridin (after we've put on our sunscreen and waited 10 minutes).  

 

Hope that's helpful, but please do visit a travel clinic.  Enjoy the Canal, it's incredible!

[CPT Trips]

On 2/19/2023 at 1:30 PM, wcook said:

Don’t forget the lime. Wouldn’t want to come down with scurvy. 

Praise the “Limeys”!

[CPT Trips]

On 2/19/2023 at 10:22 AM, Essiesmom said:

There is a vaccine for yellow fever.  Used to be you needed a shot every ten years.  Now it’s one and done

What are odds that the shot Uncle Sam gave me before being sent off to the tropics for some FTA (fun, travel, and adventure) has permanency?