CCV - Malaria meds?

[ChrisM]

Going on a group trip, and got an email forwarded from Roatan Charters on the issue, mentioning that there is malaria on the island and it's a personal choice, etc., but haven't seen this discussed here (haven't done a search though).

Thoughts? Necessary? Not necessary?

Thanks

 

[hdtran]

Last time I went (and actually, still in the 2016 CDC report), malaria is present in the Bay Islands. Since I would personally prefer to avoid the risk, I go see a doctor & get a prescription. Of the varieties of malaria reported, none are resistant, so any of the drugs offered will work, and it's a choice based on the likelihood of reactions/side effects, convenience (weekly dose vs daily dose) and expense.

You do need to begin dosing before you travel, and continue after you return to the US.

Don't forget to pack insect repellent (esp. if you intend to do the island tour on the out-gassing day).

 

[herman]

I always do. The meds are fairly inexpensive and at least for me no noticeable side effects. From what I understand, malaria is pretty nasty stuff so I see no reason not to be proactive.

 

[Tool Belt]

Took the meds our first trip, but not since. Just received our PINK tags for #4!!) Yes, personal choice but have yet to see many 'skeeters. Just make sure you use your repellent of choice for the wide-mouthed fanged toothed carnivorous sand flea.

 

[KathyV]

Going on a group trip, and got an email forwarded from Roatan Charters on the issue, mentioning that there is malaria on the island and it's a personal choice, etc., but haven't seen this discussed here (haven't done a search though). Thoughts? Necessary? Not necessary?
Thanks

There is only a small chance of contracting malaria on Roatan but I wouldn't take any chances with malaria, it can be a terribly debilitating, chronic, and even fatal disease.

Before our trips to Honduras we went to see a travel medicine physician and he updated our ordinary vaccines (like Tetanus) and he recommended immunizations for Hepatitis A and Typhoid. We accepted his vaccine recommendations and he also gave us a prescription for malaria medication which you take orally before, during, and after your trip. As mentioned, they don't have the highly resistant strains of malaria in Honduras and taking the medication was pretty innocuous and easy.

It can get expensive, but your insurance may cover it under wellness and prevention. You can also check with your local public health department, they may offer travel advice and preventive vaccines and malaria medication for free or at reduced fees. Anyway, we decided that the peace of mind was worth the expense.

Protection against mosquito bites is still very important in the Caribbean because there are no commonly available, proven vaccines against Dengue and Chikungunya yet.

 

[HJeffreyM]

I recently spent some time on Roatan at AKR (my trip report is in this forum). I was advised by my doc to update several immunizations as KathyV was. He also said I should take Malarone as a malaria preventative. I took the meds (you start one day prior to travel and continue for a week after you return) with no side effects.

As an aside, I will ad this cautionary tale: On the way down, I met the parents of Karl Stanley who owns a commercial submarine on Roatan. This is one of the few real subs available for tourists in the world and he can take you down over a thousand feet in his sub. His mom and dad told me he'd gotten malaria twice.

Take the meds, bring the deet. Protection against mosquito and sand fly bites is essential on Roatan.

 

[Peter69_56]

And another point, once over the trip, dispose of the anti malaria tabs. Once past their use by date, they can be toxic. We didn't use ours when we went to PNG and I was going to use them on another trip some time later. Read up on them luckily as apparently they can become toxic and very nasty once significantly past their use by date.

 

[NYCNaiad]

I always take whatever meds they recommend (and that also includes the vaccines like Hepatitis A and Typhoid which they also recommend). I personally think it's silly to come down with something that is often preventable. My insurance doesn't cover paying for malaria meds unless you get malaria so I have to pay out of pocket, but it's worth it. Side note: Make sure you do your research on which malaria meds to take. I've had a number of doctors try to prescribe Mefloquine (Lariam) even when I've told them I'm a diver. (Lariam can mimic DCI so it's not recommended for divers.) It wasn't till I showed them the DAN article that they agreed with me that the more expensive Malarone was worth it.

Oh, and remember to wear lots of insect repellent all the time and cover up when you can. Malaria mosquitoes bite more often at night whereas dengue mosquitoes are out primarily during the day. I got dengue really bad in another country and was only bitten 5 times during 3 weeks all in the day time. The only protection against dengue is insect repellent and covering up...at least until the vaccine is wide spread.

 

[Doc]

Since you mention that you are going to CCV, I'll add a bit of geography and climatology to the discussion.

This is not to dissuade you from the meds, just some facts to know.

CCV is located on a hard sand cay that drains rainwater quickly and has no standing water. The vegetation is constantly being cut back by groundskeepers. This, the South side (windward) of the island, is constantly bathed in prevailing breezes that come in from the ESE. The South shore in general is not a mosquito friendly place, and at CCV they have no foot-hold. After over some 70+ weeks of us staying there, I have noticed a mosquito only once. It was not the kind that carries malaria specifically. Maybe I'm just a lucky kind of guy. Or blind. They got to be there, but that is just my experience.

The overwhelming numerical majority of visitors to Roatan are in West End and North Side (as in AKR above mentioned). This North side of the island sits in the lee (the shadow) of any prevailing winds, the wooded vegetation is left standing (because of the non-farming land nature of that zone) and there are numerous creeks, rain barrels, and standing pools of water. The North is an ideal location for insects of every type and this has always been my experience in visiting.

The CDC advice is an arguably conservative, broad-brush treatment, and in no way am I arguing. Just as there is less exposure if you are indoors, then irrefutably there is lessened risk of exposure in environments where mosquitos find no home. Pretty simple math.

As soon as I get off the plane, I smear myself with a tube of DEET cream (it passes thru TSA). Look around the airport environ itself. There is ditched standing water everywhere. I have gotten eaten alive at the airport. More for the damned sand flies, but at CCV we spray up with DEET a lot.

This is a highly charged and emotional subject (due in part to the Jenny McCarthy School of Medicine, University of the Googles) but seeking reassurance on a social media message board is indicative of the problem. You'll probably get a larger volume of information from , if volume is what you were seeking.

I do rather enjoy the Malaria pills because when I burp, which they make me do, I am reminded of a Gin and Tonic, of which I am rather fond.

 

[herman]

Doc, to some extent it depends on where you go at CCV property, been there 5 time. On the main area I agree with you, don't think I have seen more than a few mosquitoes but on the same trips I have gone over to the smaller island where they hold the BBQs and have seem swarms of the little blood suckers. DEET is def your friend.