Malaria-medication

Hi, is it best to take anti-malaria tablets for Belize and if so, would I need a prescription or are they readily available without a prescription is pharmacies? The medication is horrendously expensive at home so i'd prefer to get it out there if possible. We plan to travel all around Belize and Riviera Maya. Any help much appreciated.

You'll find different opinions here but should seek medical advice from a professional imo. Here's the CDC take on travel to Belize. You can buy chloroquine (usually called Aralen) at local pharmacies, though you wouldn't be able to start it a week ahead as recommended if you buy it there and the CDC recommends against buying meds in a developing country. Also check the amount - last I checked the tablets in CA were a different dose than when you buy them in the US. ¡Buena suerte!

It basically depends where you intend to travel and your level of risk.

If you stay the main tourist areas, stay in hotels with screened windows, cover up at night and use insect repellents, you should be fine -- that's no guarantee though! However, if you plan to get into the rain forest or some of the smaller villages, you should consider prophylactics.

The mosquito population isn't evenly distributed over Central America. Where I am in Belize, months can go by without ever seeing a mosquito, then there are periods when they swarm and the air is thick with them.

It's something you have to assess together with your physician.

Remember dengue fever is also a risk in Belize, and there are no prophylactics for that. You have to take other precautions for prevention of bites.

Having said that, I do know people who have taken all the precautions and have had malaria or dengue.

If I was going to a malaria/dengue prone region with no knowledge of the risks, I would use maximum precautions, which would probably mean taking pills.

The CDC seemed to be saying that there is some risk in Cayo and other jungly inland areas, but not in Belize City or on the islands. So we took it for those areas, but as hopefulist says, you need to start taking Aralen/chloroquine a week or even two in advance of when you expect to be there. So it depends on where you go and in what order. Also depends on time of year. In any case, chloroquine is usually not hideously expensive like malarone and larium, and it is what is recommended for Belize. We saw lots of sandflies, and some mosquitoes, but not too many, in December.

We are not planning to take anything for the Mexican Yucatan, as the CDC seems to be saying that the risk is not great and recommends lots of repellant and covering up.

I wouldn't worry about it. I have never taken malaria meds for Belize or any other CA country. Save your money, cases are few and never tourists.

Greggo is right. Don't worry about malaria tablets. I've never heard of anyone catching malaria in Belize. I've met alot of tourists over the years and not one has ever taken anti-malaria tablets. Just come to Belize and enjoy yourself.

I've never heard of anyone catching malaria in Belize.

From 1998 to 2007, approximately 1000 cases of malaria were reported per year with only one death reported. Most cases would probably be in the more remote villages.

The dengue cases vary from 0 to 380 per year (no deaths reported). Dengue can be anywhere. The most recent outbreaks I recall were in Corozal (I know 2 people who had it) and Caye Caulker.

Read about the symptoms of malaria & dengue fever, and if you suspect that you have any, see a doctor as soon as possible.

Here are the statistics for more recent years...

Year / Malaria cases (deaths) / Dengue cases (deaths)
2012 / no data
2011 / no data
2010 / 110 (0) / 936 (0)
2009 / 256 (0) / 795 (0)
2008 / 540 (0) / 23 (0)

Source: Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)