Mosquitos????

[Lounur]

We're going on the Sun (Western Caribbean) in March. I was reading a member's review and was surprised to hear that he had Hep B shot, malaria prophylaxis and reported concern re: mosquitos. Has anyone else had this experience? Any recommendations? Are mosquitos a major issue?

[driftwood]

Your fellow passenger must have the most solicitous doctor ever born--for one-day trips very few things are needed. We were there for two weeks and we did take malaria prophylaxis pills.

 

You will encounter mosquitoes on virtually every shore excursion in Belize. The real answer to them is a light application of Deep Woods Off!, which contains 25% DEET. (After a HEAVY application of sun block has already been slathered on). They don't like it. The concern is statistically quite small, but both malaria and dengue exist in the jungles of Belize, so it pays to discourage mosquitoes even if they are innocent of disease, as blood enables them to breed.

 

But what laid DW low? A much more likely occurrence: consumption of food casually purchased from a street vendor. Restaurants in Belize are safe enough although seldom anything to write home about, but the street vendors simply cannot maintain the same standards of sanitation. DW had nearly a two-week case of Campylobacter sp. (a bacterial infection) from the incautious purchase and consumption of two chicken tacos right across the street from the Water Taxi Terminal in Belize City. Mr. Know-All never touches such things, but DW has been very lucky and incautious until this voyage. We know what she had and where she got it because her doctor had to run a full series on her to find out whether she might also have picked up a parasitic infection--which she had not. But it took an uncomfortable length of time to narrow down the medication to the one that worked--and I know she would not wish that two-week experience on ANYBODY. Even Mr. Know-All! :rolleyes:

[Jenbo57]

I'm thinking that the poster probably meant he had a Hep A shot. Hep B wouldn't be recommended unless you were going to be exposed to blood or body fluids, or were planning on having sexual contact with the local population! ;) Hep A protects from transmission through food or water, and occurs much more frequently!

 

Go to the CDC website and see what they recommend. http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx My attitude, is...better to be safe than sorry! I've already been protected against Hep A and Hep B (I work in healthcare), but I plan on taking chloroquine (anti malarial), as both Belize and Roatan are malaria risk areas. I'm also going to get be vacinated against typhoid.

 

Lots of people will talk about all the traveling they've done without these precautions and having never gotten sick, but talk to one person who's had malaria, and you'll get an entirely different point of view!

 

Also, as an FYI to any regular blood donors out there...you can't give blood for 12 months after visiting these areas, so please donate again before you go!

[driftwood]

but don't go to this particular site unless you think jenbo and I are kidding and you are made of stainless steel:

 

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080302/OUTDOORS/803020322

[ELECIA]

but don't go to this particular site unless you think jenbo and I are kidding and you are made of stainless steel:

 

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080302/OUTDOORS/803020322

 

 

Thanks a lot for that!!! :) I already have my off pucrhased for my cruise that visits Belize and Roatan in April. You here about Malaria and such and think that would never happen to ME.... but who would take the chance of huge maggot crunching so close to their brain??? I am pregnant so I just have ot check with my doctor that DEET will be safe. I am assuming the very few applications I would need would far surpass the other risks...

[driftwood]

. . . I had read several posts in the months before we went in January 2008 from Cruise Critics who had themselves or spouses or inlaws actually returned to the United States to discover themselves carrying one, but in fact I had forgotten all about them before we went to Belize--and as we were taking the pills for malaria AND using the Off!, which seemed even in light coats to work admirably against mosquitoes which WERE out there almost everywhere away from Belize City, we seem to have escaped intact except as noted above (viz., Campylobacter sp.). But after the inquiry I saw the article--as I am still monitoring the news relating to Belize--and as it was a specific documented case with (alas) an illustration,--well if one person is spared the experience, I guess it was worth posting!