Adventure in Brazil : 2011 Trip Report
Jul 10th, 2013, 05:55 AM
#83
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indiancouple- this is AMAZING. My bf and I have booked our trip for this coming October... we have 15 days. Your trip is truly an inspiration and your recount is wonderful. I felt like I was there, just while reading your posts.
I do have an important question now (and will likely have several more questions later on)
Did you have to get any shots for your Amazon trip? (to protect against insect bites, malaria?) This may seem like an odd question, but I am from NYC and everyone we speak to is telling us that we must get shots as a precaution if we choose to make the trip.
Looking forward to your answer!
I do have an important question now (and will likely have several more questions later on)
Did you have to get any shots for your Amazon trip? (to protect against insect bites, malaria?) This may seem like an odd question, but I am from NYC and everyone we speak to is telling us that we must get shots as a precaution if we choose to make the trip.
Looking forward to your answer!
Jul 10th, 2013, 08:59 AM
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@qanikse7-
First of all, you should consult a travel medicine specialist, preferably one who has been to Brazil, and not go by advice given by amateurs on a travel forum.
You should have your "regular" travelers shots up to date (hepatitis, tetanus, etc).
That said, if you intend to be in the Amazon, you need malaria medication, usually started 10 days before the trip. Other areas of Brazil, like Rio, don't require doing this.
However, the most common mosquito borne illness in Brazil is dengue, for which there is no shot. The mosquitos are active during the day, as well as in the evening, so use a high percentage DEET spray in cities with poor areas with standing water and in the countryside. Read up on the flu-like symptoms (for both regular and the more life-threatening hemohagic) so that you can get medical help promptly if needed. Also be aware of this in the days after you get home, since you may not connect the dots and most doctors not in tropical countries might not think to ask about dengue.
First of all, you should consult a travel medicine specialist, preferably one who has been to Brazil, and not go by advice given by amateurs on a travel forum.
You should have your "regular" travelers shots up to date (hepatitis, tetanus, etc).
That said, if you intend to be in the Amazon, you need malaria medication, usually started 10 days before the trip. Other areas of Brazil, like Rio, don't require doing this.
However, the most common mosquito borne illness in Brazil is dengue, for which there is no shot. The mosquitos are active during the day, as well as in the evening, so use a high percentage DEET spray in cities with poor areas with standing water and in the countryside. Read up on the flu-like symptoms (for both regular and the more life-threatening hemohagic) so that you can get medical help promptly if needed. Also be aware of this in the days after you get home, since you may not connect the dots and most doctors not in tropical countries might not think to ask about dengue.
Jul 11th, 2013, 09:06 AM
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Ah, and ask about Yellow Fever shots, more for returning/traveling to some other countries than for risk of contracting it in Brazil.
Do try to find a doctor who knows Brazil and is not just reading what the CDC has written. (On my first trip, I ended up taking some malaria meds--and getting sick from them-- I really didn't need because the doctor couldn't understand that regions/destinations within Brazil don't have the same disease risks.)
Do try to find a doctor who knows Brazil and is not just reading what the CDC has written. (On my first trip, I ended up taking some malaria meds--and getting sick from them-- I really didn't need because the doctor couldn't understand that regions/destinations within Brazil don't have the same disease risks.)
Jul 11th, 2013, 09:06 AM
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Ah, and ask about Yellow Fever shots, more for returning/traveling to some other countries than for risk of contracting it in Brazil.
Do try to find a doctor who knows Brazil and is not just reading what the CDC has written. (On my first trip, I ended up taking some malaria meds--and getting sick from them-- I really didn't need because the doctor couldn't understand that regions/destinations within Brazil don't have the same disease risks.)
Do try to find a doctor who knows Brazil and is not just reading what the CDC has written. (On my first trip, I ended up taking some malaria meds--and getting sick from them-- I really didn't need because the doctor couldn't understand that regions/destinations within Brazil don't have the same disease risks.)
Jul 13th, 2013, 08:43 AM
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Hi anikse7, sorry for the delayed reply. Well you certainly need to take Yellow Fever shots ( should be taken min 10 days before departure; valid for 10 years ), as it is a mandatory requirement. Other than that, I don't think anything else is required. We did carry some malaria medicines, but never needed them. I feel the risk of mosquitoes is over-hyped for Brazil. If you are going on the Amazon (as we did), and sleeping on an open boat, you can buy effective mosquito repellents locally, which are very effective. Elsewhere, nothing is required.
Will be glad to answer any other questions that you may have.
Will be glad to answer any other questions that you may have.
Jul 15th, 2013, 08:19 AM
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Yellow Fever is NOT required to enter Brazil. It may be required to enter other countries if you recently have been in an area of Brazil considered to have an outbreak.
The prevalence of mosquitos depends a lot on where you are located and particularly how well the local residents are dealing with standing water conditions. In some places, they are quite bad. However, apparently the acid quality of Amazon water discourages their breeding. Repellents ar very expensive in Brazil and high DEET content ones are hard to find in most places.
The prevalence of mosquitos depends a lot on where you are located and particularly how well the local residents are dealing with standing water conditions. In some places, they are quite bad. However, apparently the acid quality of Amazon water discourages their breeding. Repellents ar very expensive in Brazil and high DEET content ones are hard to find in most places.
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