By Kate Le Page, Suite101.com
The region of Mexico and Central America include the following countries; Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama. Before heading off to this part of the world, it is important to seek appropriate travel health advice, either from the family doctor or a specialist Travel Health Clinic.
Travel Health Precautions in Mexico and Central America
There are generally far fewer travel health risks recognised as being prevalent in this area, in comparison to locations such as Central Africa. However, as identified by Jones (2004) in Travel Health, key travel health precautions in Mexico and Central America, include the following:
- Anti-malarial medication
- Hepatitis A vaccine
- Typhoid vaccine
- Influenza vaccine
- Wear protective footwear and sensible clothing to avoid snake bites
In addition, severe asthma and other allergy sufferers may benefit from seeking medical advice before visiting Mexico City, due to the presence of significant levels of air pollution. Vaccinations for travellers to the region will need to have vaccinations a certain amount of time prior to setting off, making it very important to seek appropriate medical advice well in advance of travel.
Travel Health Risks in Mexico and Central America
While the most significant travel health risks posed to visitors to Mexico and Central America, involve influenza, malaria, hepatitis A and dengue fever, there are also many other potential health issues. Jones (2004) identifies such health risks, as follows:
- American trypanosomiasis
- Balantidiasis
- Brucellosis
- Cholera
- Dysentery
- Gastrointestinal illness
- Leptospirosis
- Plague
- Schistosomiasis
- Venezuelan equine encephalitis
Although infections and viruses, such as gastrointestinal illness, influenza and hepatitis A are also present within the UK and Europe, other conditions are less well-known. For example, schistosomiasis, or ‘swimmer’s itch,’ is primarily caught through swimming in infected water or drinking water which has been contaminated. Both cholera and dysentery are caused by poor hygiene and drinking contaminated water, making such diseases avoidable when only bottle water is used.
Travel Health Clinics are able to offer specialist health advice, which is up-to-date, as well as providing essential vaccines to prevent serious illness, such as hepatitis A and typhus, both of which are identified as being present in the Mexico and Central America region. The family doctor will also often provide referrals to specially trained travel health nurses within the medical practice.
As highlighted above, travel health risks associated with travel to Mexico and Central America, include malaria, hepatitis A, dengue fever and influenza. In addition, it is important to take precautions to avoid snake and scorpion bites.
Source: Jones, N. (2004) Travel Health London: Rough Guides
