Iguazu Falls Malaria Pills
 

My wife and I (mid-60's) will be staying 2 days (1 night) in late November at Iguaza Falls Sheraton and visiting the falls and closely surrounding area. Do we need to take antimalaria pills? We have been vaccinated against Yellow Fever.

You do not need the anti malaria pills for Iguazu Falls and the nearby area.

Brazil wants you to have the Yellow Fever Vaccine if you are going to the Amazon.

Percy

My wife and I will be traveling to the Iguazu Falls Sheraton in January. Do we need to get vaccinated against Yellow Fever? Note that we'll be on the Argentina side.

Go to CDC.com and read the updated recommendations for yellow fever vaccine in Argentina. Apparently, there have been several cases of yellow fever this year in the province of Argentina where Iguazu Fall is located. Personally, I'd get the vaccine, it's good for 10 years.

Malaria: Prophylaxis with chloroquine is recommended for rural areas of Salta and Jujuy province (along border with Bolivia) and Misiones and Corrientes province (along border with Paraguay)
Vaccinations:Hepatitis A
Recommended for all travelers
Typhoid For travelers who may eat or drink outside major restaurants and hotels
Yellow fever recommended for all travelers older than nine months who are going to the northern and northeastern forested areas of Argentina, including Iguaçu Falls and all areas bordering Paraguay and Brazil

www.mdtravelhealth.com Argentina

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Specialfx,
The only thing I'd add to the Yellow Fever advice above is to mention age-related issues. There is a very small (but real) risk of very serious side effects for people over age 65 (and the risk begins to rise at 60) who have NEVER RECEIVED YF VACCINE BEFORE. Then in our travel clinic we really try to balance risk vs. benefits -- for some people it might be better to minimize time at Iguassu, slather on repellants, wear long sleeves, etc. instead of getting the vaccine. Note: if you have EVER had the YF vaccine at any time in the past, this age-related risk doesn't exist.

Skibumette,

We're in our late 30's/early 40's and neither of us have had YF shots before. What do you think?

Specialfx,
I'd go for it, assuming you're not allergic to eggs, chicken or gelatin...or have a depressed immune system. You REALLY don't want Yellow Fever, the vaccine lasts for 10 years, and then you never have the added age-related risk in later life....just at the point you decide you want to go on an African safari? :-)
PS - there is YF risk anyplace at the Falls.

Thanks for the help!

I am reviving this old post, to see if anyone has more up to date information about malaria risk at Iguazu. The CDC site still has the same advice as qwoadis, recommending malaria prophylaxis for the province area around Iguazu -- but, I'm wondering if there have actually been cases recently? And if prophylaxis is necessary during the winter season -- since we'll be there in a few weeks? I know some people just believe in "risking it" due to the high cost of the pills. But I'm looking for more solid info on which to base a decision. Thanks.

I would not risk going to a malarial area without first consulting a reputable travel clinic for the most up to date and current information and following their advice. I appreciate that a very few people have unpleasant reactions to the prophylaxis if you test the pill before you go and have a bad reaction then there is often an alternative , if sometimes less effective, alternative.
I contracted malaria in Vietnam about 20 years ago and still remeber it as one of the most unpleasant experiences in my life. The risks may or may not be minimal, but it does take only a single bite!

We spent 5 months in SA as part of a year long trip last year and took a supply of malaria meds with us appropriate for the areas we were traveling and started taking them as and when appropriate. YF vacination lasts 10 years and, IMHO is well worth it if you plan to do a lot of travelling.

The CDC and other such sources will always provide more up to date and accurate info than posts on sites such as this which are only ever based on secondhand info.
Of course the only 100% reliable prevention is not to get bitten, but if you are anything like me it always happens. I could marinate myself in 100% deet for hours and still mozzies would find me irresistable!

We got the Yellow Fever shots, of course. The travel clinic has advised us to take Malarone, but they say they're only being conservative. I (and they) have consulted the WHO and CDC sites, and both give general advice about the provinces of Argentina bordering Paraguay -- but say nothing specific about Iguazu. This is interesting, because, in regards to Yellow Fever, the warnings about Iguazu are very specfic -- which might lead one to think that perhaps a brief visit to Iguazu alone (we will be there 3 nights) may not entail considerable risk. That's why I posted here, as perhaps a reader had seen scientific or epidemiological literature that more adequately assesses the risk specifically for a few days in Iguazu. For 5 months in the jungle we'd certainly do the prophylaxis, but for 3 nights in the middle of winter, we're hesitant.

www.mdtravelhealth.com is updated daily by top US Travel MD

Their suggestions have not changed.

Malaria: Prophylaxis with chloroquine is recommended for rural areas of Salta and Jujuy province (along border with Bolivia) and Misiones and Corrientes province (along border with Paraguay)

Vaccinations: Hepatitis A
Recommended for all travelers

Typhoid
For travelers who may eat or drink outside major restaurants and hotels

Yellow fever
Recommended for all travelers older than nine months who are going to the northern and northeastern forested areas of Argentina, including Iguaçu Falls and all areas bordering Paraguay and Brazil.

Still for me for a short stay at the falls just lather on
the Cutter Advanced works for Dengue too a much bigger deal
in that area.Odds of tourist malaria on a short stay statisticallyless than 1 in one million.

Have fun either way,

The wording for mdtravelhealth.com is taken directly from the WHO Malaria site. You'll notice it's quite specific for Yellow Fever at Iguazu, but the wording is general, about Misiones province, regarding malaria. Still haven't decided whether to spring for the extra $180 for courses of Malarone for my wife and me.

I would suggest you ask your travel agent about this, they are the ones who should give you the best advice. I live in Buenos Aires and for the past few months nothing has been said about Malaria in Iguazú. Dengue and yellow fever yes, but nothing about malaria. My mother went to Iguazú during May 2009 and she had to get the vaccine for the fever and just in case took lots of mosquito repelent, but during the 3 days she stayed there she didn't see any mosquito!!! LOL!

I went to Iguazu in April 2009 for 3 nights, and I did see mosquitos. I also got some nice bites, including some on my posterior (admittedly a wide enough target). I used Off!, but maybe not enough.

Perhaps you could consider a course of doxycycline 100mg - W.H.O. suggests 4 weeks. It is a relatively cheap drug.
We were in Iguacu in April too, and of the 170 odd falls which were so magnificent when we saw them about 10 years ago, only about 10 were flowing this time. There's been a 4 year drought, so this reduces the mozzies too. We didn't see any at all, but we weren't in the Falls vicinity at night.

Personally, I would consider not taking them just for Iguacu, if you won't be wandering around at night, and are prepared to wear long sleeved, light coloured clothing and repellant - we were going to the Amazon as well, so really had to. Yellow Fever is another matter, though. Some countries won't let you back in from Brazil, unless you have the vaccination certificate.

Thanks for all your contributions. We're heading down to BA tomorrow, loaded with Tamiflu and various other medications -- but decided to skip the Malarone for our three nights. Among other reasons, beyond price of the drug, we're thinking that the nights are fairly cool this time of year, days go little above 70, and there's been the drought - so, all in all, it's not prime time for malaria. Also, despite research, I haven't been able actually to come up with CASES of malaria reported from the area, despite the warnings. I checked with our county Public Health Director, and she agrees the risk should be minimal. My main concern, frankly, is that, should we come down with a fever, we won't know if it's malaria, swine flu, or a delayed reaction to our Yellow Fever shots! I wouldn't want to start the Tamiflu without good reason, and it's always tough if a diagnosis is confusing. And, I forgot about Dengue fever... There really are a lot of risks, anyplace you go, if you overthink it all.