Do I need malaria pills or iodine tables for my summer trip to Lisbon?

arizona..like you,my reply was censored.

Don't know which word though...there were several possibilities ;-)

I'm not a troll, just a nervous traveler.

I do agree that America is a pill-reliant culture that can create maladaptive behavior. I only about the iodine because when I went to China, I brought iodine pills. So I just assumed it would be a good idea in Portugal as well.

I did read on the CDC website that cases of Dengue Fever has been reported in Madeira, Portugal. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/outbreak-notice/dengue-madeira-portugal.htm

I'm not going to Madeira however; just Lisbon and Porto.
I wasn't even this nervous when I flew to China - and I lived there for a year while I taught English to Chinese students.

I know that Portugal isn't some back water place and that it's very touristy. I also don't travel very frequently (even in the U.S.), so that's another reason for my over-reacting post I guess.

I'm sure I will calm down once I'm in Lisbon. I appreciate everyone responding to my post.

Assuming this is real:
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/portugal.htm (Note that dengue is not malaria. The only prevention for dengue is bite avoidance. Also note that Madeira is not part of mainland Portugal. It is an island, roughly 600 miles away from Lisbon.)
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1002.html

Are you mistaking Lisbon with Luanda, another Portuguese speaking capital?

MN_USA, thanks for clarifying, my posts are a bit a mess due to not appearing (researching by the behaviour-police?) and trying to find out were I 'sinned'.

The CDC is IMO sometimes too careful (almost said paranoid) in warning people. Waiting for their item since two kids in Sweden were found with the E-HEC bactterium.
Plus many Americans asking here if it's safe to travel.

Perception.

I'm glad they do to find out and getting some mutual understanding.

me info from expats in Lisbon: http://expatinlisbon.com/

MN - go to your local library - you will see (as everyone has told you) that Portugal is on the West Coast of Europe. Even 40 years ago it was one of the safest, cleanest and friendliest countries I visited.

China is a totally different situation - you have more chance of getting sick in NY than in Lisbon and a far better chance of getting better health care in Lisbon if you do get really sick. Do 5 hours of meditation - leave all your fears in the bathroom and go off to enjoy a great small friendly country.

How did MN manage to make 2 posts on this thread and have 0 posts in total?

Thanks orion_mike for the encouragement in your post. You are the only poster in my thread who was nice to me, so thank you. Seems like all the other posters here think I'm a troll (which I'm not). I will definitely head to my local library and read up on Portugal to ease my anxiety about traveling there. I made the mistake of reading threads about food poisoning in Portugal. I don't know why I wasn't nervous traveling to China, but am nervous traveling to Portugal. Maybe some meditation (yes, I'm serious) will help me figure it out.

Hi MN_USA, as I was one of the posters who did not wrote a very nice post, allow me to apologize.

I think many people found your questions so weird that they actually considered them not to be real. In Europe, we tend to think we are pretty civilized. We would consider ourselves as equal to, but in many cases even better than the U.S. And I guess that any question which goes largely beyond that view, is considered to be a potential troll as we can't believe anyone could be serious on that.

I must admit though that I'm still a bit shocked that anyone could ever think that malaria exists in Western-Europe or that Portugal holds the same hygiene standard as China.

To conclude postively: Have a great trip to Portugal and don't worry too much. As orion_mike says, Portugal is very safe country and in case you do get sick, the health care is of a high standard. And don't make your self crazy by reading horror stories. There's loads of people visiting Portugal each year and somehow they all manage to survive without much trouble ;-)

Seems like all the other posters here think I'm a troll (which I'm not)
Sorry, did you read the other posts well? Speaking for myself, I think I was pretty straight but respectful. Didn't I show understanding for that cultural gap?

But indeed, orion_mike told a valuble story.

Anyway, thanks for your feedback, maybe I see you in Montana this summer! Sure taking off my buffalo gloves and shae hands!

Cheers, A.