Do i need malaria medication for central latin america?

Question

including mexico, belize, guatemala, honduras, nicaragua, costa rica...

thanks.

Answer 1

I would get a shot prior to going.  Especially, if you get into the forrest and away from the tourist areas

Answer 2

It really depends "where" in those countries you are going and also "when" (the time of year) you choose to go.I always take an adequate amount of a good repellent with a high percentage of *deet* on my trips which is often difficult if not impossible to find in the remote areas of of Mexico and Central America. I have never taken any shots or medications and have traveled almost everywhere over the last ten to fifteen years in each of the countries you have mentioned including the Darrien Gap region of Panama which I believe has more species of insects than all the other countries of Central America combined.

For your own peace of mind, I would advise you to solicit the the opinion of your family doctor before taking your trip.

Buena suerte y buen viaje!

Answer 3

Depends on where you're going. If you plan to visit any of the jungle areas of these countries, then it might be worth considering. Also, if you're going in the wet season, or immediately after the wet season then there is a greater risk.

Remember though, that at any time, all it takes is a few days of rain in the jungle to cause the mosquito population to grow greatly. I visited Tikal after a few days heavy rain and the mosquitos were horrific.

Mosquitos arent such a problem in the mountain areas though.

In saying all this, I travelled without taking any medication. You need to remember that Malaria only one of quite a few diseases that mozzies can spread. Even if you do take anti-malarials you need to make sure you're protected from bites by using a powerful insect repellent, light loose fitting long clothing and mosquito nets (or only stay in rooms with insect screens.) You need to do this to avoid other diseases like Dengue Fever which there is no drug for.

So, personally, I wouldnt bother with anti-malarials since you still need to protect yourself well from mosquitos anyway, but it all comes down to how comfortable you feel in not taking them.