Chikungunya

[El Graduado]

I was looking at the Cozumel forum and realized that the new virus that has hit the island really has not been discussed very much. It is called Chikungunya and I personally know five people who have contracted it on the island in the past two months and I heard of several others who came down with it.

Like dengue, it is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, a pest that Cozumel has in spades. Even though December is not “mosquito season,” there are plenty of these little vectors around all year long. The only way you can prevent contracting the disease is not be bitten by an infected mosquito. The only sure-fire way not to get bitten is use repellant.

The symptoms start in two to nine days, but usually appear around four. Most common symptoms are quick-onset fever, joint pain, joint swelling, headache, nausea, muscle pain, rash, and did I say… JOINT PAIN? Most of these symptoms only last a week or so, but the joint pain can last months, or longer. All the folks I know who have contracted it say they have had dengue and that it is worse than dengue.

My recommendation: Bring a 30% or higher DEET repellant with you (much cheaper in the US than Cozumel) and use it when you go out. You should also pick up a spray can of Raid Flying Insect spray a local grocery store on the island and spray your hotel room or condo.

 

[WarrenZ]

Thanks for the heads up. My Sister in law brought some sort of repeating every 3 weeks or so fever/aches back from Puerto Vallarta. She still cant find a doctor who can figure that one out. So it is best not to get bit use DEET 100% sprays.

 

[NYCNaiad]

People often see the extremes of all of these mosquito born illnesses and form their opinions based upon one of them without thinking the whole thing through. Malaria is nothing; Malaria is death. Dengue is like a bad cold; 2% of people die from it. Same with Chikungunya.

I learned the hard way.

If you go to a country that has mosquitoes always do all you can to avoid them which means nets as well as spray even if there are not a lot of mosquitoes around. I got dengue...the bad kind...on an island that had never had it before (supposedly). I slept in a net, but dengue mosquitoes bite during the day. I wore bug spray a good portion of the time, but not always because there weren't a lot of mosquitoes. I was only bitten 5 times in 3 weeks. One of the mosquitoes had dengue and I am still paying for it a year later! A dive buddy of mine also got the bad version of dengue and it took her 2.5 yrs to get her strength back.

Take all the precautions you can against all of the mosquito born illnesses. You don't want to be a part of the same sickly group I am in wishing I had done more to prevent the problem. Here's to my 2016 being hopefully dengue symptom-free and full of vim and vigor!

 

[mediumone]

People often see the extremes of all of these mosquito born illnesses and form their opinions based upon one of them without thinking the whole thing through. Malaria is nothing; Malaria is death. Dengue is like a bad cold; 2% of people die from it. Same with Chikungunya.

I learned the hard way.

If you go to a country that has mosquitoes always do all you can to avoid them which means nets as well as spray even if there are not a lot of mosquitoes around. I got dengue...the bad kind...on an island that had never had it before (supposedly). I slept in a net, but dengue mosquitoes bite during the day. I wore bug spray a good portion of the time, but not always because there weren't a lot of mosquitoes. I was only bitten 5 times in 3 weeks. One of the mosquitoes had dengue and I am still paying for it a year later! A dive buddy of mine also got the bad version of dengue and it took her 2.5 yrs to get her strength back.

Take all the precautions you can against all of the mosquito born illnesses. You don't want to be a part of the same sickly group I am in wishing I had done more to prevent the problem. Here's to my 2016 being hopefully dengue symptom-free and full of vim and vigor!

Quite a post.

The world wide risk of death from uncomplicated malaria is less than 1%. Of course, your odds are significantly less bright in sub-sahara Africa, where 90% of the deaths occur. Your expectation of death from malaria in Mexico is the same as the United States and Canada, which is zero.

When treated, dengue hermorrhagic fever has a mortality rate of 2%-5%. Untreated, the mortality rate approaches 50%.

When comparing dengue to the common cold, it might be helpful to keep in mind the literal translation: break-bone fever.

You say it's like a bad cold, but you're still paying for it a year later, and your dive buddy took 2.5 years to get her strength back. Now, that's some bad cold.

As I said, quite a post.

 

[cvchief]

I think Mexico approved a dengue vaccine couple weeks ago. 60%ish effective I think, which they hope will really reduce the spread. So of course now we have the Chicken-dengue.

 

[mikeycanuk]

Cozumel is late to the party. This time last year we were in Carriacou that had a huge outbreak a few months before where it seemed everyone was getting sick. However once you've had it you are immune. So by the time we came down it was a non-issue as it burned itself out, but it did freak me out for a few days while the outbreak was happening. I was told on island that a lot of fellow tourists simply didn't come. I had already paid for the 2 flights and house rental.

 

[cvchief]

Wasn't but a couple years ago they had patient in the hospital hallways from dengue, no room at the inn. And what is that new mossie born thing they found in Belize? That should be along soon too I imagine.

 

[KathyV]

Quite a post. The world wide risk of death from uncomplicated malaria is less than 1%. Of course, your odds are significantly less bright in sub-sahara Africa, where 90% of the deaths occur. Your expectation of death from malaria in Mexico is the same as the United States and Canada, which is zero. When treated, dengue hermorrhagic fever has a mortality rate of 2%-5%. Untreated, the mortality rate approaches 50%. When comparing dengue to the common cold, it might be helpful to keep in mind the literal translation: break-bone fever.
You say it's like a bad cold, but you're still paying for it a year later, and your dive buddy took 2.5 years to get her strength back. Now, that's some bad cold. As I said, quite a post.

I am sure that he was being ironic and stating that dengue is not just "a bad cold" as some people believe.

 

[Queen Triggerfish]

Thanks for the suggestion. I leave in a few days and usually only bring bug spray for the San Gervasio ruins. Mosquitos love me though, so I will use it around town and at the beach too.

I could deal with feeling crummy for a week after getting back from my vacation, but months of joint pain sounds miserable.

 

[Kharon]

I have used the following products with great success numerous times. I got no bites while others looked like they had measles or chicken pox.

I spray at least one set of clothes (usually more) with Sawyer Products Premium Permethrin Clothing Insect Repellent Amazon.com : Sawyer Products Premium Permethrin Clothing Insect Repellent Trigger Spray, 12-Ounce : Mosquito Repellent For Clothes : Sports & Outdoors.

I use Sawyer Premium Insect Repellent 20-Percent Picaridin Amazon.com: Sawyer Products Premium Insect Repellent with 20% Picaridin, Pump Spray: Sports & Outdoors as a bug spray. This product does not harm dive equipment or plastic the way deet does , it’s slightly citris scented, and dries rather than being greasy.

I have found the combination to be very effective in the past. I've got enough natural joint pain and other maladies that I certainly don't want any more.

Note: Someone recently told me that you can go to a farm type supply store (Agway, Tractor Supply for example) and get bulk Permethrin concentrate at about the same price as Sawyer's and it's enough to last a lifetime or more. Also, the reason you can't use Permethrin as a bug repellant isn't because it's toxic to humans (though the solvent isn't something you want in your lungs). It's because your skin deactivates it in about 15 minutes. Once it dries on clothes it lasts for about 6 weeks.