Can you still buy Cipro in Coz w/o seeing a dr there?

[Mossman]

I suspect it is related to the salsas left on the table and the ability of E. Coli to grow, or the high ambient heat overcoming the ability of refrigeration to keep food stuffs in the ideal temperature range to inhibit bacterial growth.

Salsas are pretty acidic from the tomatoes and lime juice so they're less likely to be the culprit than mayonnaise, the most vilified condiment (not only does it clog your arterties but it's a safe harbor for bacteria :shocked2.

Tomatoes have a pH of 4.2-4.3, while ETEC can only grow in a minimum pH of 4.4. Most bacteria prefer neutral pH ranges.
Chapter 3. Factors that Influence Microbial Growth

 

[swamp diver]

Salsas are pretty acidic from the tomatoes and lime juice so they're less likely to be the culprit than mayonnaise, the most vilified condiment (not only does it clog your arterties but it's a safe harbor for bacteria :shocked2.

Tomatoes have a pH of 4.2-4.3, while ETEC can only grow in a minimum pH of 4.4. Most bacteria prefer neutral pH ranges.
Chapter 3. Factors that Influence Microbial Growth

True, but here is the original article and while I can't seem to find my hard copy it did refer to tomato salsa as well as the other typical sauces containing E. Coli.

Enteric Pathogens in Mexican Sauces of Popular Restaurants in Guadalajara, Mexico, and Houston, Texas

And it appears desserts are a great culture medium too.

Coliform bacteria were found in
47 of the 49 (95.9%) samples from Guadalajara and in 10 of
the 49 (20.4%) samples from Houston ( P < 0.001)

Coliform and Escherichia coli Contamination of Desserts Served in Public Restaurants from Guadalajara, Mexico, and Houston, Texas -- Vigil et al. 80 (4): 606 -- American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Bottom line is if the table sauces or desserts are not kept refrigerated odds are you'll be doing the Aztec two-step the next day.

 

[DandyDon]

I hope my Hep-A vaccine is still good, even for Texas foods. I think it's good for life.

 

[MMM]

You guys are too much. Really. I eat everything, everywhere. Never get sick. My only caveat would be to watch out on the east side where there is no electricity (meaning no refrigeration/high dishwater temps).

 

[Mossman]

Bottom line is if the table sauces or desserts are not kept refrigerated odds are you'll be doing the Aztec two-step the next day.

You guys are too much. Really. I eat everything, everywhere. Never get sick. My only caveat would be to watch out on the east side where there is no electricity (meaning no refrigeration/high dishwater temps).

"Bottom" line?

Sorry, I'm with MMM. I'll eat the unrefrigerated table sauces and the desserts and the salads and the chicken and odds are I won't be "doing the Aztec two-step". There's limit to how antiseptic one can live one's life and overdoing it can tend to backfire: by completely avoiding exposure to all foreign pathogens, there's no way one's body can develop any natural defenses. Sure, live life in a bubble, but if that bubble somehow bursts, you're in a world of toilet trouble.

 

[lulubelle]

There's limit to how antiseptic one can live one's life and overdoing it can tend to backfire: by completely avoiding exposure to all foreign pathogens, there's no way one's body can develop any natural defenses. Sure, live life in a bubble, but if that bubble somehow bursts, you're in a world of toilet trouble.

There is a lot of truth to this statement. There is a LOT more autoimmune disease in the US and other developed countries than there is in countries like Mexico. One theory is that those people simply die off in developing countries. The other is that we are so clean/antiseptic in the way we live here that our immune systems are simply not trained to do their jobs very well and on occasion, given the right conditions, they go nuts when presented with a challenge.

With that being said, each of us must make choices in keeping with our own histories. I declared myself "vegetarian" when I went to China. Mostly because I didn't want to eat cat and such. A nice side effect was that I was the only one who did not get sick.

 

[lulubelle]

Do not take Cipro for wound infections -- it is very rarely the right antibiotic. Most skin infection are due to staph or strep; trimethroprim sulfa is a reasonable antibiotics for this, these days.

I just wanted to highlight this point you made. Seems that many don't understand that you must match the drug to the bug. Even the post right after you made the point refers to a DM taking Cipro after being bitten by an eel. NOT the right choice had the wound become infected.

 

[swamp diver]

You guys are too much. Really. I eat everything, everywhere. Never get sick. My only caveat would be to watch out on the east side where there is no electricity (meaning no refrigeration/high dishwater temps).

Everywhere but the island's east side where there is no refrigeration which is essentially what the science is saying. Most diarrheal illnesses are traced to foodstuffs which have not been properly refrigerated.

Don't get me wrong I eat the tortas and hotdogs in the zocolo as well but just don't put that mayo in the ketchup bottle basking in the sun on my food.

 

[ggunn]

You guys are too much. Really. I eat everything, everywhere. Never get sick. My only caveat would be to watch out on the east side where there is no electricity (meaning no refrigeration/high dishwater temps).

Two things:

Not everyone's immune system is the same; what's OK for you may not be OK for everyone.

And it's risk management. There are times when the repercussions of getting ill are worse than others, so more prudence is indicated.

 

[DocVikingo]

Not true - all antibiotics AND narcotics require a prescription here now and they ARE enforcing this law.

I really appreciate the advice and comments from everyone, with a special thanks to Christi for definitively answering my original question.

Just to verify that they really are enforcing the prescription rule - I went to 5 different pharmacies ("local" and in the tourist areas) AND had my assistant try also at different ones - no one would sell us Cipro without a prescription!

Hi Christi,

I've been regularly widely surveying travelers to Coz who have bought/attempted to buy antibiotics since the new law was implemented on 08.25.10. My sample includes ~75 people who went to various pharmacies/outlets. About 80% were required to have a prescription. The remaining ~20% were simply given the drug. I didn't record when the drugs were bought, so perhaps those that slipped through were early in the process before enforcement was up to full dentition.

Is enforcement now actually 100% across the full range of outlets?

Another point of relevance is that a number of those who were required to have a prescription were able to get one written immediately by a physician with whom the pharmacy/outlet apparently had a business relationship and whom the buyer did not actually have to see. It was my understanding that this arrangement continues. Is that your understanding, too?

As a final comment, it appears that places like Mega, Similares and American Discount Drugstore (Hola, Monica), etc. are more likely to toe the line than some of more the mom & pop/off the beaten path style pharmacias.

Not sure what&#8217;s up with the Cozumel International Airport, but it would surprise me if there was lax enforcement there.

BTW, for those interested in the general discussion here, MX had a law against pharmacias selling narcotics without a prescription long, long before the relatively recent antibiotic law.

Thanks,

Doc