3.6 Temperate
South
America
(Argentina, Chile, Falkland Islands, Uruguay)
3.6.1 Disease risks
Food and water-borne diseases:
Gastrointestinal infections a risk in rural areas.
Gastroenteritis (mainly salmonellosis) relatively common in Argentina,
especially suburban areas. Hepatitis A and intestinal parasites
reported.
Malaria
confined to outbreaks in a few areas of NW Argentina.
Other arthropod-borne diseases
(see Chapter 7) relatively unimportant except for American trypanosomiasis
(Chagas' disease)
- Cutaneous
leishmaniasis in NE Argentina.
Diseases of close association:
- In
1994, an international commission certified the eradication of
endemic wild poliovirus from the Americas. Ongoing surveillance
in formerly endemic Central and South American countries confirms
that poliovirus transmission remains interrupted.
- Meningococcal meningitis
outbreaks have occurred in Chile.
- Tuberculosis
rates slightly higher than western Europe.
Sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections:
Hepatitis B of low prevalence; HIV generally of low
prevalence.
Other hazards could include:
- Animal
rabies endemic.
- Rodent-borne
hantavirus pulmonary syndrome identified in north-central and
SW regions of Argentina and in Chile.
3.6.2 Recommendations
for
immunisations
and
malaria
chemoprophylaxis
(see
later
chapters
for
general
health
precautions)
Check
routine
immunisations
including
tetanus.
For
all
countries
except
the
Falklands,
immunisation
against
hepatitis
A.
Typhoid
immunisation
sometimes
advised
for
rural
backpackers.
For
longer
travel,
consider
immunisation
against
diphtheria
and
hepatitis
B
and
check
BCG
status;
consider
immunisation
against
rabies
for
longer
rural
travel
out
of
reach
of
medical
attention.
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3.6.3 Country by country variations and malaria
chemoprophylaxis:
Argentina
Malaria risk, exclusively P.vivax,
confined to the north west area along the borders with Bolivia
and Paraguay. The Iguassu Falls area is considered malaria free.
Recommended prophylaxis: for this small area in the
NW corner of the country, which will rarely be visited by UK travellers,
chloroquine.
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