Mexico Travel Health

Mexico Travel Plan has taken the greatest care to ensure that the contents of these pages are accurate. The text has been read and approved by the University Medical Centre (LUMC) in Leiden, The Netherlands. We advise customers to always seek contact with an appropriate medical institution, specialising in tropical disease prevention, for the latest information.

Below we provide a summary of information aimed at the traveller who is healthy, not pregnant, and plans to stay in Mexico less than a month. Make sure that you get up-to-date information for your personal circumstances.

Vaccinations

Compulsory: there are no compulsory vaccinations for Mexico
Recommended: DTP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Polio) and Hepatitis A. Enquire with your local medical centre or GP about vaccinations as far in advance as possible. What is important here is that the medical centre providing the vaccination has regular contact with the NHS advisors on Tropical Diseases.

Websites:
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
www.tripprep.com

What is..

A DTP-jab (diphtheria, tetanus and polio) is valid for about 10 years. Most people had a DTP vaccination as a child, but a booster is recommended every 10 years. If you've never had these vaccinations then it's recommended to take the entire course of 3 jabs.  

Hepatitis A is an acute or chronic viral infection of the liver which occurs without a known cause (=primary hepatitis) or as a result of another, known disease (=secondary hepatitis). Hepatitis is classified according to the viral infection (hepatitis A,B,C, etc.). In many countries the risk of infection with Hepatitis A is very big, which is why a vaccination for most (sub)tropical and several Eastern European countries is recommended. A  Hepatitis A vaccination (Avaxim®, Havrix®, Epaxal®) consists of 2 injections and provides protection for 15 years. Keep in mind this vaccination is quite expensive.

Malaria 
Mexico is not a major malaria risk area, but there are mosquitoes, especially in the jungle in the south (especially in rainy season). You can protect yourself against mosquitoes by wearing long sleeves, trousers and socks and using a good repellent (containing DEET).
Protection against mosquito bites is always important. If you have a fever or flu-like symptoms after visiting a malaria-risk area then contact a doctor as soon as possible.
Malaria occurs in the border regions with Guatemala and Belize. Anti-malaria drugs are recommended for some travellers. Contact your medical centre or GP for more information.

Other diseases 

Typhoid
Vaccination is recommended only if you are staying longer than 3 months in Mexico. 

Dengue fever
Dengue fever is a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes, so you can take the same preventative measures as for malaria. These mosquitoes bite during the daytime and under artificial light. For more information about dengue, and the status of any epidemics, you're advised to seek the advice of the NHS or suitable medical institution.
 

Health in Mexico - before leaving the UK

If you are currently taking prescription medicines, take the instruction leaflet with you, and some spare medicine so that (a) there is no doubt that you are not a drug abuser and (b) if you were unfortunate enough to lose your medication, it makes life a lot easier when you're in a Mexican pharmacy, trying to explain exactly which medicine it was and what it was for, because the marketing name may vary from country to country but the chemist will understand the written chemical contents. Take an English letter from your doctor confirming your prescription. You may also want to bring a clean set of syringes and needles, but don't forget a doctor's letter. If you wear glasses or use contact lenses, take a copy of the optician’s written results of your last examination, extra glasses or spare lenses.

Health in Mexico - on location

Alongside the general advice given here; ensure that you have the correct vaccinations for where you are going on holiday and remain as healthy as possible before you leave. Of course it's important that you avoid becoming ill while you are on holiday. When you're away on holiday remain alert: when in doubt, consult a doctor. 

Drinking water
Bottled drinking water is cheap and widely available throughout Mexico, particularly in the Central Valley. Outside the Central Valley hotels often have filter installations to purify the drinking water, if you don't want to risk it then use the bottled water. Avoid the tap water, it's just not worth the risk

Jet lag and overcoming it
"Jet lag" is when your biological clock is confused (primarily your sleeping and waking rhythms) caused by flying through time zones. The body has to adjust to the new biorhythm for the first few days after your flight; during which time you can feel tired and irritable. We advise that during the flight you drink very limited amounts of coffee or alcohol, and, upon arrival don’t demand too much of your body for the first couple of days. It's also handy to get into the new sleeping rhythm as quickly as possible. We recommend an hours sleep after arrival, and then remain awake until we take an early night.

Diarrhoea
A change of rhythm, climate and food (especially spicy) can throw your stomach out of sorts. As long as it is only loose, watery stools and no other symptoms, it's normally unnecessary to take anything, just take it easy and drink plenty of water in small quantities. It may be necessary to take some Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) dissolved in water to prevent dehydration, and this is especially important for the elderly and children. Drugs, such as loperamide and diphenoxylate, may be taken if you really have to travel when you have diarrhoea (not suitable for children under two years old). These drugs have the effect of sedating the intestine, which stops stomach cramps and suppresses the feeling of diarrhoea. Only use these drugs when you're on the move and cannot get to the toilet regularly. If the diarrhoea: persists for more than 48 hours, AND is accompanied by headache, vomiting, or blood in the stool OR; you’re taking any other medication at the time, you should contact a doctor. The doctor can send a sample for lab analysis to determine exactly what’s going on. Your diarrhoea can stop quite quickly, but can leave a lasting feeling of lethargy due to the fact that your intestines needs time to recover.

Preventing diarrhoea
Only consume water and soft drinks from properly closed and sealed tins or bottles, or drink boiled water; such as tea or coffee. Ice is trustworthy in the form of machine-produced ice cubes. Fruit juice is safe, provided no water has been added. Food, particularly meat and fish, must be well cooked. We advise against the western-style salads offered in salad bars (in expensive hotels). Hamburgers (personal experience) are generally a lot less safe than the normal meat the locals eat. Generally it is safe to eat from street stalls, even though you would expect the opposite. Eat where it's busy, the time between food preparation and consumption is therefore the shortest, which is good for the hygiene. Take note of how the plates, glasses and cutlery are washed. There is often no running water and only a bucket with soap in it, baking in the sun. If that is the case, it's sensible to find somewhere else to eat.
Restaurants where you can see how clean it is are recommended. With regards to street stalls, it’s probably smart not to eat meat at the end of the day; the meat can sometimes have been lying around all day un-refrigerated. A tried and trusted housewife's remedy to prevent dehydration during diarrhoea is to drink cola and bouillon (not at the same time). Cola can be bought everywhere and you can bring stock cubes and a single-cup beverage with you from the UK.
 

A few more general tips

Skin care
Take all cuts, scratches etc in the tropics seriously: keep a close eye on them, clean them with disinfectant and keep them covered with a plaster during the day. Don't scratch mosquito bites.
Always use a high factor sunscreen cream on exposed skin, even in the rainy season. Snorkelling with a T-shirt and shorts is not unusual (we do it all the time as a matter of course). The sun is super strong at the equator, even if it's cloudy.
You can avoid attracting biting insects, by not wearing brightly coloured or black clothing, strong perfume or deodorant or aftershave (try to avoid resembling a flower). It you’re prone to skin irritations, wear cotton or linen clothing. You can help avoid prickly heat by using talcum powder on your body after your morning shower.
Wash or disinfect your hands after using the toilet, and don't bite your nails.
During the dry season, in the woods, there’s a slight chance that a tick may land on you (In European woods there is a far greater chance). Check your body for these bugs in the morning and evening; especially behind the knees and in the crotch. Should you find one, don't try to just pull it out, use tick pincers (obtainable from chemists) or seek medical attention. If, after being in the woods, you find a bloody circular skin wound, slowly increasing in size, seek professional medical attention.
 

Sunstroke
Sunstroke can be prevented by wearing a hat, and sunglasses. Always keep a bottle of water with you, especially if you're in the wilderness and unlikely to come across drinking water. If you suspect sunstroke (feeling light-headed, headaches), you can prevent it from getting worse by drinking water and finding somewhere in the shade to sit and stay there, if possible.