Panama Health Safety for visitors

[oopsie-daisy]

Although, sickness is not so prevalent in the country, it is still worth to note that visitors may still acquire illnesses when not oriented about the local health conditions. Some of the most widely known health hazards in the country are: Dengue, Malaria, Rabies and yellow fever. Most are mosquito related illnesses. To be safe, it is best adviced to bring repellant throughout the day especially when you're touring the country. Repellants are available everywhere.

[tallman33]

It is easy for visitors to get sick in any country because they will not be used to the types of illnesses that go around. You grow immunities as you get exposed to new illnesses in an area.

[GordonS]

Is ameobic dysentry a common problem?

[panamapal]

Is ameobic dysentry a common problem?

I have not heard much about it, but that doesn't mean it is not relatively common. How common is it elsewhere?

[Lalaguayaba]

For amoebic dysentary, don't drink still lake water, river water or any other form of water that animals may used as a latrine. That doesn't take too much common sense, does it?! As far as shots go, the basics are pretty good, plus a Hep B or combo Hep A/B, chicken pox, and anything else you are scared of!! Get a yellow fever shot if you plan to see any of S.A., like Brazil, that require a y.f. vaccination certificate for you to even enter the country. Malaria prevention is a good idea for short trips to areas where it is endemic, but Panama has done a lot to work on its mosquito problem in tourist areas. Most of the malaria meds have few side-effects, but the nausea can be nasty. Use DEET appropriately, mosquito netting while you sleep and some common sense and you will be fine.
As far as food-borne illnesses apply, the cities and towns are fine. If you are truly worried, then don't eat fruit you can't peel outside of the cities (this is why bananas are awesome,) raw meat, or anything that looks unsavory. Once again, common sense is fine. All along the Interamericana, there are excellent little stops on the side of the road that have tasty, if not 4 star, home cooking in a cafeteria-style place. Everything is really cheap, a little bland (I recommend taking a bottle of hot sauce everywhere with you,) but perfectly adequate. We happily ate trout in the mts near Costa Rica, strawberry batidos in Boquete, a thick chicken stew near Penonome and really good sushi in P.C. Enjoy!

Cheers.

[GordonS]

Thanks for the comprehensive answer. Regarding ameobic dysentry, it is generally contracted via water as mentioned but can even be contracted through water which isn't boiled long enough to killed the protozoan infection. In some countries water supplied are seriously infected but in most ameobic dysentry is a possibility but not a serious problem. My question was whether protozoan infections are a major problem in Panama (as it was when my wife and I lived in Pakistan) or just a possible but rare event such as in Canada (Rocky Mountain fever is a form of ameobic dysentry)

[coolandhot]

What about stomach worms? I have heard that in Costa Rica those are a serious problem. Are they also a problem in Panama?

[Lalaguayaba]

My question was whether protozoan infections are a major problem in Panama (as it was when my wife and I lived in Pakistan) or just a possible but rare event such as in Canada (Rocky Mountain fever is a form of ameobic dysentry)

Nope, they are not common. Due to the long-standing American presence in the country, the infrastructure is first-rate; the phones work, the roads are driveable and the water is drinkable. If it comes out of a tap, it is perfectly safe to drink. Unless you are doing a lot of swimming in lakes or rivers and accidentally chugging, or changing the diapers of an infected infant, I really would not worry about it.

Cheers.

[Lalaguayaba]

What about stomach worms? I have heard that in Costa Rica those are a serious problem. Are they also a problem in Panama?

Intestinal parasite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
If you are camping in the wilderness, make sure that all your food is thoroughly cooked, don't eat fruits or vegetables that you can't peel, and watch that you don't accidentally end up with a mouthful of dirt. I would follow this advice in the United States and Europe as well, although it is not as prevalent in countries that freeze during the winter. If you are anywhere with electricity and running water, don't worry about it--Panama is not a third world country relative to it's food and water safety.

Cheers.

[tallman33]

I do not think there is much of a problem with stomach worms, and after reading what Lalaguayaba wrote I'm sure of it.

[MonAmb]

I think it is pretty safe out there in regards to diseases or illnesses going around. Relatives of mine have visited Panama tons of times, (it's like a second-home to them), and they have never even had as little as an upset stomach or vomiting. They seem to love every bit of Panama so i doubt there are many terrible diseases that cause death or anything over there.

[expatplayer]

The problem is that when a person from one country travels to another country, the person doesn't have immunities to the local illnesses. In other words, there body isn't used to the local health risks.

[zhinghur]

Everything is fine except malaria. One doesn't like to get caught of it, atleast on his vacation to other country. What the government is exactly doing to prevent the diseases arising out because of mosquitoes ??

[Lalaguayaba]

Everything is fine except malaria. One doesn't like to [catch] it, at least on his vacation to other countries. What [is] the government [doing exactly] to prevent the [spread of] diseases [due to] mosquitoes?

Ick! Malaria! It is largely controlled in Panama, due to Panama's really decent water and sewage treatment programs; also massive dosings of DDT up to the '70's virtually eliminated the malaria parasite in Latin America. Prophylaxis, either with mosquito nets (really very effective,) spraying local homes and villages or drugs (for travelers,) are really the best ways to help prevent a widespread resurgence of malaria anywhere in the world.

Zhing--I'm going to assume (maybe incorrectly!) that you are European; that is just from reading your posts. Unlike many European gov'ts, those of Central and South America do not have widespread health programs, or other social programs. Those programs that do operate in Central/South America tend to be non-governmental (NGOs) organizations like the World Health Organization (W.H.O.)--they are the ones that really try to eliminate the health risks of a tropical climate.

For what it's worth, malaria is not really common in Panama, as with a lot of the other infrastructure improvements it is a side-effect of being an American base country for so many years. The U.S. gov't did not want it's ppl contracting malaria, dengue or any other of the funky mosquito distributed diseases and did their best to teach Panamanians how to keep water clean in rural areas, etc.

Cheers.