Malaria in Roatan

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no1rookie

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Messages
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Location
Calgary, Canada
# of dives
200 - 499
My wife and I are planning to do a dive trip to Roatan in Nov. and we have heard about contracting Malaria while there.
Is there a real problem there and if so how can we protect ourselves.
 
Standard CDC warnings:
Health Information for Honduras | CDC Travelers' Health

Go to a international travel medicine clinic for a consultation
if you're worried about it. I did and they recommended
tetanus and hepatitis-A vaccinations for a short trip to
Honduras. For malaria they prescribed quinine (in case you
actually catch it) and said to stay in a breeze and use deet
to avoid getting bit in the first place.
 
I take Mefloquin as a prophylactic for malaria. The mosquitos were very active on my trip 3 weeks ago.
 
We did a week dive trip to Anthony's Key on Roatan last Nov- Dec, had more trouble with sand flea bites than with mosquitos. Nice breaze most of the day and evening
 
I have always taken the malaria meds when visiting Roatan.

Malaria is bad news. So is dengue - I got that in Belize, not fun!
 
We live in Honduras (Tegucigalpa, so much higher elevation than Roatan) and I don't know any long-timers who take malaria prophylaxis. I also don't know anyone who has had malaria here, though I'm sure it exists. Dengue is a real possibility though, and not much you can do besides use repellent.
 
Tetanus and hepatitis-A and B vaccinations are good ideas for living in the US, much less any International travel at all, and review other standard vaccinations for currency.

As uncommon as Malaria is on Roatan, it does happen - so as cheap and benign as the prophylactic is, I always do. A pharmacist tried to substitute the preventive med for African malaria on me once, but I caught that and got him to order the appropriate one for Central America. I know some LDS owners who claimed they got ill on the meds, but most don't; take on a full stomach I think.

One diving physician talked me into getting the 5 year Typhoid shot if I can ever get to Lubbock on a weekday. I have no interest in the Rabies vaccination as I do not touch animals at all traveling, but some do play with the monkeys, raccoons, etc.

:pilot: Have a great trip.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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