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paulette & Chuck

Dec 7, 2006, 6:41 PM

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mosquitos, malaria, dengue, etc, etc.

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We' re headed for the Yucatan-- camping-- a grand road trip. My question has a few parts. How are the bugs in Jan-March? is it necessary to take malaria medication? We were given some to take last year, when we did the west coast of Mex., but didn't take it. All the doctors around here advise it, but I've heard that the side effects are not great. Is dengue much of a problem??? DEET, right?

Thanks, Paulette

Bubba

Dec 8, 2006, 1:38 PM

Post #2 of 13 (5639 views)

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Re: [paulette & Chuck] mosquitos, malaria, dengue, etc, etc.

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Paulette:

We have traveled in rural Yucatan many times at all times of the year. Forget the malaria pills and dont worry about dengue. It is typical of doctors in El Norte to think Yucatan is the other side of the moon.

The nice thing is that if you get sick you can´t sue me for bad advice in Mexico.

(This post was edited by Bubba on Dec 8, 2006, 1:58 PM)

paulette & Chuck

Dec 8, 2006, 1:51 PM

Post #3 of 13 (5633 views)

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Re: [Bubba] mosquitos, malaria, dengue, etc, etc.

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Gracias Bubba--- You have made my day, as I was about to flush the malaria meds. ( but then remembered that fish in SF Bay are dying from medicine in the water) Will toss them to be taken to a landfill.( poor seagulls)

paulette-

sfmacaws

Dec 10, 2006, 12:49 PM

Post #4 of 13 (5591 views)

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Re: [paulette & Chuck] mosquitos, malaria, dengue, etc, etc.

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Before you start tossing the pills consider another opinion from someone who lives part of the year there. Malaria: not at all common in the Yucatan especially in the dry season when you are coming. It still matters though where you are going. If you intend to spend a lot of time down along the Belize-Guatemala border or back in the inland jungles then the risk is slightly higher. It is adviseable to take the pills (chlorqua??mine) in the rainy season down there. Luckily the type of malaria found in the Yucatan does not require the more dangerous (Lori?m) that causes psychosis. I can't spell either of these drugs and right now I'm using a hotel hookup in Zacatecas and can't look them up. You should be able to tell anyway from as much as I put. They are not really preventatives but keep the bug from breeding in you and reduce the symptoms. Keep the pills if you already have them as they will help if you do get it. You won't need any of them if you stay in the more populated, tourist areas of the Yucatan. It's just that it is a different world back in the jungles.

Dengue: This is a concern. It is more common again in the rainy season but you should be prepared to cover yourself with either DEET or the new type of repellant whenever you are away from the direct breezes off the water or at dusk or dawn. Dengue is carried by a different mosquito than malaria, the dengue mosquito bites in the daytime not at night and is more common away from the ocean. Dengue is caught by folks in the tourist zones every year, again though usually during the rainy season. Personally, I worry about dengue and deet up whenever I am going out to shop or eat. I've found that the daytime mosquitos are more common in restaurants than anywhere.

In english, dengue is called breakbone fever and it is very painful. You will no doubt survive it the first time you get it but subsequent times you could come down with the life threatening form hemorrageic dengue which you really don't want to get. It is smart to do all you can to prevent being bitten. If you develop a high fever with intense joint pain, get yourself to a doctor asap.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

Rolly

Dec 10, 2006, 1:09 PM

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Re: [sfmacaws] mosquitos, malaria, dengue, etc, etc.

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Jonna says dengue is more common away from the beach. Perhaps, but I was living in a cabana right on the beach when I had my dengue adventure. Damned unpleasant. Ruined a 3-week vacation in Manzanillo.

DEET up!

Rolly Pirate

E-visit me http://Rollybrook.com
On Facebook as Rolly Brook

sfmacaws

Dec 10, 2006, 1:16 PM

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Re: [Rolly] mosquitos, malaria, dengue, etc, etc.

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You're right Rolly, it can bite you anywhere. To be clear, by away from the ocean I mean more than a 100' from the water. Restaurants in Playa del Carmen that sit right on the beach are full of mosquitos and they could be carrying dengue. They probably aren't but then? if they bite you in the daytime it is a possiblity that dengue will result.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

esperanza

Dec 10, 2006, 3:23 PM

Post #7 of 13 (5571 views)

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Re: [sfmacaws] mosquitos, malaria, dengue, etc, etc.

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More than 400 cases of dengue have been reported in the Guadalajara area this year. All but a few have been non-hemmoragic. As Jonna says, DEET up.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

song_of_joy

Dec 10, 2006, 5:56 PM

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Re: [esperanza] mosquitos, malaria, dengue, etc, etc.

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My son and I were diagnosed with dengue yesterday. The attending infectologist/epidemiologist says we may have caught it in the Chapala area (Ajijic), where a number of cases have been reported lately.
: (

esperanza

Dec 10, 2006, 7:24 PM

Post #9 of 13 (5547 views)

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Re: [song_of_joy] mosquitos, malaria, dengue, etc, etc.

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Yikes, I'm so sorry to hear that! May you get well quickly and without complications.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

song_of_joy

Dec 10, 2006, 8:02 PM

Post #10 of 13 (5539 views)

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Re: [esperanza] mosquitos, malaria, dengue, etc, etc.

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Thank you so much. It's not nearly so bad as hepatitis.

I have to say, a prescription to sleep all I want makes it almost worthwhile.
; )

Carianna

Dec 14, 2006, 10:58 AM

Post #11 of 13 (5483 views)

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Re: [song_of_joy] mosquitos, malaria, dengue, etc, etc.

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There has been a fair amount of dengue on Cozumel island in the last 6 weeks as well. This is unusual for here. Normallyjust a couple of cases each rainy season. However, this year we've had norte after norte and plenty of rain. We get strong tradewinds out on this island. So I'm figuring inland from Cancun, Playa, Tulum etc. as little as a couple of miles where you don't get the wind and you're going to run the chance of dengue from the aegis egypti mosquito until the weather turns 'cold' which it hasn't just yet.

DoDi2

Dec 14, 2006, 4:18 PM

Post #12 of 13 (5461 views)

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Re: [Carianna] mosquitos, malaria, dengue, etc, etc.

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song_of_joy.. I'm sorry to hear about you and your son's illness! I hope you have a speedy recovery.

There was recently a major dengue outbreak in Cuba. The Cubans were on a big campaign to halt it by stopping vehicles on the roads to fumigate them and also going through residential areas all over to spray for mosquitos.

The epidemic is pretty much over in Cuba, but is it possible that the wave of dengue has now spread from Cuba to Mexico?

Quote

Dengue fever epidemic said to be under control in Cuba

By Los Angeles Times | November 15, 2006
HAVANA -- An epidemic of dengue fever that flooded hospitals and might have killed as many as 100 Cubans has been brought under control by a fumigation campaign involving 300,000 students, pensioners, and health care workers.

(This post was edited by DoDi2 on Dec 14, 2006, 4:20 PM)

song_of_joy

Dec 14, 2006, 9:04 PM

Post #13 of 13 (5433 views)

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Re: [DoDi2] mosquitos, malaria, dengue, etc, etc.

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Thank you so much for the good wishes!