Anti-Malarials a Must for Bocas?
 

Hi there!

My husband and I are plannig a trip to Bocas this Christmas. We're also planning on trying to get pregnant next January. After reading the CDC's recommendation that travelers to Bocas take anti-malarials and checking with my doctor regarding how those drugs should be handled by a hopefully soon-to-be pregnant person, I'm left either with the choices of a) not visiting Bocas, or b) forgoing the meds and wearing plenty of bugspray.

Any thoughts out there about Bocas and Malaria risk? I know some say the CDC recs are generally overly cautious...

Have you been to Bocas, and if so did you take anti-malarials? (We'll be there for a 5-7 days, and are staying on Bastimentos.)

Thanks!

Interesting: I just checked the Pan American Health Organization website, and their maps of outbreak risk indicate I'm more likely to contract the disease the week prior, when we're on Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula...

Does the fact that we're going during the "dry" season make any real difference in the jungle?

It's a tough call. We were on Bocas for almost a week a few years ago in January and it rained every day. Bastimentos was an interesting place. We really didn't have any trouble with mosquitos, but we were taking anti-malarials. Malarone, in our case, since we been in San Blas.

Although I generally think people should take the best drug for the area they're traveling to, maybe Malarone would be an option for you. You only take it seven days after you return home, rather than four weeks. But, it's like taking Cipro when plain old Penicillin would work as well. I'd discuss it with your physician anyway.

We also took anti-malarials when we were in the Osa (on a different trip).

Go a lot tourist malaria very very rare usually just stay indoors during feeding time use insect prevention measures suggested on CDC.gov.All anti-malarials lots of side effects usually contraindicated during pregancy and do not work for dengue.

So for me risks far outweigh benefits.

If I am careful I am fine rarely get bit.

CDC - Malaria
Information on malaria. Provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. ... By email. Malaria Surveillance — United States, 2006 (June 20, 2008) ...
www.cdc.gov/malaria

Latest malaria info 2006 1 case in Honduras 1 case in SA/Panama both
trekkers no report of short term tourist malaria in CA for 2006.Both
cases easily treated so no worries.

What about Yellow Fever vaccine? I 'thought' I read on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention website that this vaccine was recommended for Bocas....anyone know about this? I agree, the risks scare me but traveling with our two children makes putting someone else at risk for either the diseases or the vaccine something to think about.