bill simpson

The above poster is correct, heed what CDC says about the locations you may be visiting. Imodium &amp; pepto may help plug you up so you can get on the plane &amp; get back home but it won't cure a case of salmonella. A bad case of salmonella usually doesn't but can cause death bringing on high fever, chills, diarrhea, vomiting, even unable to keep water on your stomach. Only anti-biotics can cure it. It is widespread in Mexico. <BR>As for Why in an earlier post mentioning ecoli in the U.S. suggesting that you can get sick anywhere - that is true, however your luck at getting sick is going to be much better in Mexico. Mexico primarily has a problem with their water. Dishes &amp; glasses are washed with it. Food is washed with it, food preparers wash their hands with it. It makes ice. In addition food storage &amp; handling are not at the standards of the U.S., Canada, or most other western nations so just beware. I am going to Mexico in March &amp; anything I drink is going to be out of a bottle, I will brush my teeth with bottled water, &amp; I will check out the eating establishments before I have a meal there. I will only consume cooked food -the only cold food to be eaten is that which I can peel. I got salmonella once &amp; I don't ever what to get that again - you don't have any idea what sick is until you get that stuff.

darlene

I am planning on taking my 4 year old to Puerto Vallarta (my first trip to Mexico, too) in March. If I plan on taking care w/food and water, should he be OK, or is he too young to take a chance with these kind of illnesses?<BR> A related question-- I was hoping to go on one of the jungle or mountain expeditions (or boat to the John Huston resort or one of the isolated towns to the south--forget the names, but you can only reach by boat according to guidebook) while in PV. What can I do with my 4 year old and what should I not bother trying? Thanks.

bill simpson

Darlene, Puerto Vallarta is probably one of the safest locations in Mexico for not only food &amp; drinks, but personal safety. Most places in PV use bottled water but for the 4 yr old still take extra precautions &amp; be careful yourself. In PV you will see bottled water trucks everywhere delivering. The downtown is clean, the people friendly &amp; accommodating - my favorite place to visit in Mexico. It was in Cabos where I not only got a very bad case of salmonella but both my wife &amp; I got drugged. I will never go to dirty old Cabo again. Frankly I didn't know I was going to get home from that trip. We are going to Cancun in February for the first time so we will see how that checks out but will be alert to everything around us. That's probably something you should do no matter where you go. You will love PV.

Lori

Darlene, I have taken my 2 year old daughter to PV twice once when she was 3 months old and again when she was 18 months and she was just fine. I just made sure that all the water she had was bottled. I have been to PV numerous times and have never been sick. I wouldn't worry to much about this, just go and have a good time.