Central America
Countries
• Belize
• Costa Rica
• El Salvador
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Mexico
• Nicaragua
• Panama
Health Risks
• Chagas’ disease
• Coccidioidomycosis
• Cutaneous larval migrans
• Dengue fever
• Diarrhea
• Filariasis
• Gnathostomiasis (in Mexico)
• Hantavirus (in Panama)
• Histoplasmosis
• Leishmaniasis
• Leptospirosis
• Malaria
• Onchocerciasis
• West Nile Virus (in Mexico)
Preventing Health Problems
Recommended Vaccines
• Routine Vaccinations – including polio,
measles-mumps-and-rubella (MMR), tetanus-diphtheria-and-pertussis (Tdap), and
yearly influenza vaccines.
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Typhoid
• Rabies (optional in Costa Rica, Panama)
• Yellow Fever (only recommended in Panama)
Avoiding Bug Bites
• Malaria is a dangerous disease and is present
throughout Central America. While malaria is spread by mosquitoes, all insects
are very effective at spreading disease. That is why it is important to take
certain precautions to prevent bug bites.
o Anti-malaria prescription medications are
available and are highly recommended. See a doctor prior to leaving about
obtaining a prescription.
o To prevent bug bites use insect repellent with
30%-50% DEET. In addition to insect repellent, wear long-sleeved shirts and
pants. Since mosquitoes are more active at night avoid being outdoors at dusk
and dawn as much as possible.
o Permethrin, while very effective against all
insects, is especially effective against mosquitoes. By sleeping under
permethrin-treated nets and bedding and using permethrin-based insect spray
indoors, the amount of mosquitoes indoors can be greatly reduced.
Food and Water
• Being in new culture and country also means
increased risk of getting sick from food and water. In order to reduce food and
water borne illnesses there are more precautions that can be taken.
o Drink bottled water, bottled or canned
carbonated drinks, or water you have filtered or treated. DO NOT drink tap
water, foundtain drinks or use ice cubes.
o Washing your hands with soap and water or using
an alcohol-based hand sanitizer often and especially before eating is a simple
yet very effective way to reduce ingesting harmful bacteria and viruses.
o As for food, DO NOT eat food that may have contacted
contaminated water or soil such as fresh vegetable or fruit that you don’t peel
before eating.
o Meat should always be fully cooked before eating
to avoid food borne illness as well as ingesting stomach worms.
o DO NOT eat unpasteurized dairy products
o Avoid eating food from street vendors as food
borne illness is prevalent at them due to undercooked food and ingredients that
are not washed or prepared properly.
Avoiding Injuries
• Some of the more common injuries that occur to
missionaries in these areas are bike injuries as well as foot injuries due to
walking. Always wear a helmet while riding your bike to prevent head injuries
and have good footwear (socks and shoes) to prevent foot injuries.
• Since missionaries do not drive as much in this
area, injuries from car accidents are not as common in this area. That being
said they still do occur, so the best defense against injury while driving is
to wear a seat belt at all times while in car.
Avoiding Animals
• Animals such as dogs and cats can spread
diseases and insects such as rabies and fleas. Avoid touching animals,
especially strays, as much as possible.
Sun Exposure
• Too much sun exposure can increase your risk for
getting skin cancer. Always wear sunscreen when outdoors.
Avoiding Fungal and Parasitic Infections
• To avoid contracting fungal and parasitic
infections keep your feet dry, clean and covered. That means DO NOT go
barefoot. Wear sandals in the shower, slippers at home and shoes at all times
when outside.
Recommended Items to Bring
General Health and Medications
The following is a list of medications that you
might consider taking to this area of the world.
• Any medications you take regularly at home
• Prescription anti-malarial medication
• Pain reliever such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen
(Tylenol), or aspirin
• 1% hydrocortisone cream
• Anti-itch cream
• Antifungal cream
• Saline eye drops
• Anti motion sickness medication (if necessary)
• Thermometer
Avoiding Bug Bites
The following is a list of general items that you
should take with you to prevent bug bites.
• Insect repellent with 30-50% DEET
• Long-sleeved shirts and pants
• Permethrin-treated bed netting
• Permethrin
o Currently, permethrin cannot be taken from the
MTC in personal luggage on commercial airlines. You should plan on buying
permethrin when you arrive in your mission or have it shipped out to you.
Food and Water
The following list includes items that help to
simply reduce the spread of disease, but also includes items that help to
reduce water and food borne illness. There are also a couple of medications
listed that help in the event that you have diarrhea.
• Hand soap
• Alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• Water bottle
• Water purification
o Water filter
o Iodine tablets
o Ultraviolet water purifier
• Anti-diarrhea medication (loperamide)
• Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol)
• Prescription antibiotic to treat travelers’
diarrhea
Avoiding Injuries
This list includes items you should bring if you
ride a bike as well as some of the items you should find in a first aid kit.
• Bicycle helmet
• Bicycle multi-tool
• Basic first aid kit
o Multiple sizes of adhesive bandages
o Antibiotic ointment
o Butterfly bandages
o Gauze pads
o Alcohol wipes
o Adhesive tape
o Blistoban
o Moleskin or Molefoam
o Burn treatment gel
o Tweezers
• Compression bandage
Sun Exposure
• Sunscreen and sunburn lotion such as aloe vera
are both vital to prevent sun exposure and to treat sunburns.