Malaria meds in jungle outside of Iquitos needed?

With many TT'ers now looking at travels to SA, I thought it was timely to refresh this thread so new members can see what was previously written about malaria in Peru.

Cheers,
Frederic

voyageurfred:
i'm staying in the tampobata jungle for three days in july. where did you get your information about no reported cases of malaria in the area (hey, i'm a poet!)

i'm not doubting you, i'd just like to check it out for myself since i'm weighing taking the malaria pillls as well. any info on yellow fever in tambopata?

The was no presence of malaria in the Tambopata region at the time I visited in July 2005. This was the information from my travel clinic here in Montreal and from the Rainforest Expeditions office in Miraflores (a suburb of Lima). Best bet is to check with a reputable travel medical clinic near you or the CDC web site for an update, or email Rainforest to get an update and confirmation from people who work in the area.

Personally I found all the staff at Rainforest to be very responsive to my needs and queries - I am sure they will give you an honest answer.

At the time of my trip, I did take a 14 day supply of Malarone with me, thinking I would travel to Iquitos and would also need them in the Trujillo area (north of Lima). In the end, due to time and cost, I never went to Iquitos and the pills were not needed for either Trijillo or the Puerto Maldonado-Tamboata River region. Just before leaving Peru, I donated all my pills to an organization based in Lima that had volunteers assisting the native people living in the Iquitos region.

If you are not sure, then for your peace of mind... bring them just in case.

Some pics from my seven week journey through fabulous Peru

Cheeers!
Frederic

Ooops! I forgot to answer your Yellow fever answer. This shot was recommended by my clinic, so I took it before I left for my trip.

Some inoculations take time to build up anti-bodies, so you should look at getting this as soon as possible. Malarone pills from what I was told, should be taken a couple of days before entering an infected area, then every day thereafter. I forget for how long a period after you leave that you continue taking them. Best to confirm this with your doctor.

Important Note : There are some nasty biting sand flies in the Tambopata area, cover up and forget about wearing sandals here. Myself and others were bitten- the bites create an ugly, puss-filled pimple that took two weeks to heal. Wear lightweight nylon or synthetic clothing and don't forget the DEET insect repellant. You may not smell nice, but it sure is a whole lot better than bites about your ankles! Bring along a small bottle of alcohol to disinfect any bites. Nalgene makes some nice, tough 60 mL (20 oz) lexan bottles that seal up very tight for this purpose. Great for shampoo too! Available in different sizes from leading camping stores, or from Mountain Equipment Co-op, which sends packages by mail worldwide.

All the best,
Frederic