Rio de Janeiro Travel Forum

HI People,
Hope somebody can help ??? Husband and I have booked several times over the past few years, to do RIO, but have always cancelled, Have booked to go in August, 4 nights in Rio nad 10 in Buzios, but panic panic, have just read about a SEVERE OUTBREAK OF DENGUE FEVER, how serious is this for tourists ?? and also can someone recommend a good guide for Rio, appreciate anyone help and advice/
Have a nice day
Joan

Working on the basis that mosquitoes cannot tell locals from tourists I would say this is as serious for tourists as it is for locals.

Regards

John

Mosquitoes, Malaria and Dengue Fever.

This is a question that appears quite a lot here on VT.
You will hear from people who never take any kind of medication.
You will hear from those who do.

May I suggest that you contact your own doctor, practice nurse or travel clinic and ask for their advice?
If they recommend that you use some form of medication, get them to recommend the treatment.
You may find that some treatments you make you ill, if so, ask the doctor for an alternative.

Different anti malaria medication effects different people in different ways, what is good for one person is not always good for another. You won't know this until you have tried a particular medicine.

At present, there is no cure for Dengue Fever.
Unlike the mosquitoes that cause malaria, dengue mosquitoes bite during the day.

Is prevention better than the cure?
Of course it is.
DEET based products are the most effective way of repelling mosquitoes.
Available in different forms and strengths, users should always read the instructions carefully

“I will only be there 3 or 4 days, do I really need to take the medicine”
It does not matter, if it is an infected area, 3 or 4 minutes is all it takes to get Malaria.

Either way, you can return from your holiday with some great photographs, a sun tan and good memories or in a body bag.
The choice is yours.

True fact: - Malaria has killed more than half the people who have EVER lived.

This reply may appear to be a little melodramatic and over the top.
IT IS MEANT TO BE.
Too much irresponsible and bad information is given out over forums regarding the mosquito and its potential to kill.

a useful previous reply:
"You must prevent it by wearing the proper clothing and using anti-mosquito repellent on all other areas of your body. You can also put a stronger repellent on the clothing, like the collar of your shirt, on the cuffs or lower portion of your [long] sleeves and on your socks.

You may want to read what the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has to say about Dengue Fever: http://wonder.cdc.gov/wonder/prevguid/p0000443/p0000443.asp

On the upper right of the page you can change the language. "

The dengue fever it's just like a cold/flu. However, you must hydrate as much as possible and you can NEVER take an aspirin for your headache(use tylenol or dipirona) as the salicilic acid may cause an hemorragy if you got dengue. Only 0,5%-1% of the cases turn serious and may evolve to death, specially if you dont bother hydrating and take aspirins... it's completely different from yellow fever (which doesnt exist in Rio and that's much worst) and Malaria (that doesnt exist in Rio as well). For prevention, just mosquito repelent, shirts and jeans ...

"only 0.5 - 1% of the cases turn serious and may evolve to death"

I know a lot of people playing in lotteries with a lot slimmer chances than this, expecting to win. Don't play with your life, dengue fever is really serious, take all precautions previously mentioned.

First of all, joanwood, by August the problem might be more under control in Rio.
It is a regularly occuring problem all over Brazil and there is a spray program in place in most areas. My feeling is that the incidence may be higher in areas with more standing water, which could be poorer areas. Most of the fatalities have sadly been children under 13 with weaker systems, and if poor, perhaps with poorer health and nutrition in general, and certainly with access only to the abysmal public health system.
To some extent the reporting is being used as a political tool in Brazil, I feel, to criticize political rivals (who may indeed not have acted in the most timely manner to up the existing prevention program, but...).

A friend who got dengue the last time had a fever and was achy, kind of like a bad bout of flu, and after resting and drinking lots of fluids for a few days, made a full recovery. Only one other of my many friends and acquaintances in Brazil has ever gotten it. The symptoms take about 10 days to appear after being bitten. Not the nicest way to return from vacation, sure, but you are going to use repellent and understand what the symptoms are, so ...... no problem most likely. But of course everybody has to make a personal decision.

As far as a great, friendly. knowlegable guide with good English and a comfortable car, I think highly of
Rafael Torres Lopes.
You can search on the Trip Advisor Brazil Forum for many good reviews and on this VT site (search for "rafaelthesecond")for many of his off-the-beaten-path tips for the Rio area. Book now as he's quite busy.

Here is his contact information.
Rafael Torres Lopes
donrafa_brazil@yahoo.CO.uk
(Rio city code 21) (cell) 9469 6562
(residence) 2247-4810


Hope you get to Brazil sometime, if not in August. It's well worth it!

--------
Pupulainen, if you can't "properly enjoy a place if you have to fear all the time that something might happen to you" how is it that any woman manages to pry herself out from under the bed to go about her daily life, let alone enjoy it? Think of how vulnerable all women are just in their daily routine. (Maybe there is no crime in Finland, the way there is in the U.S.?)

Dengue is mostly a summer problem. The number of cases will be going down in may/june due to the dry season. I would not worry too much yet. Even now, if you stay in the not too much affected areas (ipanema/leblon) especially in the morning, there is not too much of a problem. Dengue rapidly spreads in areas with much vegetation where water accumulates. Buzios being surrounded by salt water does not entail much of a risk since the mosquitos do not lay eggs in salt water.
Dengue mosquitos are low fliers so they usually bite on the feet/ankles. Having these covered, especially in the morning lowers the risk.

Please bear in mind this outbreak has been largely confined to the favelas of the North Zone, which are rarely visited by tourists.

Hi,
My husband and I arrived back in the States Sunday from Rio. Do not cancell your trip! Spray with repellent high in Deet and enjoy. We had the best ever guide in Rio. Rafael The Second which is featured on this site. He is simply the best!

I've been living in Rio for the past 4 months. Yes, there is a severe outbreak of dengue fever here, mainly - but not exclusively - in parts of town which tourists don't visit. My wife caught it, and was quite ill (high fever, bodily pain, lethargy, no apetite) for about a week. On medical advice, she stayed in bed, drinking plenty of liquids and reducing the fever with paracetamol. My son and I were unaffected.

I trust that by August the outbreak will be under control, and in any case the risk of infection is small, and - for a healthy adult - of death, virtually non-existant. Personally, I'd stick to your plans for a visit.

I would not say that the risk of infection is small, it's currently at over 300 per 100.000 inhabitants. Neither is the epidemic restricted to the slums in the north of Rio. Areas like Gávea, Catete, Leblon and especially Barra de Tijuca have quite a large number of cases due to the fact that there are natural breeding sources for the mosquitos (lakes/canals). But again dengue is traditionally a summer problem and by the end of may or beginning of june there will be a decline in the number of cases as every year.

The mosquito that is responsable for transmitting dengue (and yellow fever) is a "low flyer". If you keep your legs covered you don't have to worry much, especially if you use DEET. It also prefers to bite in the morning, although, if they have not been able to get enough blood, they will also bite in the afternoon, unlike the malaria mosquito who likes to bite at dusk.