If you are travelling to Argentina your travel health in Buenos Aires or other parts of Argentina should be carefully considered, those considerations should be based on where and how you intend to travel - Argentina medically speaking is a temperate region with a small subtropical and tropical area in far the North close to Iguaçu Falls. Temperate regions are considered safer than tropical regions where many of the same diseases you would encounter in Africa and Asia are also prevalent such as Dengue Fever, Malaria and Yellow Fever that are carried by Mosquitoes and transmitted by their bites.
The requirements for travel health in Buenos Aires of other parts of Argentina are slightly different from other parts of the world with temperate climates and if you intend to travel around Argentina or on to the Northern parts of South America, which are rural or considered tropical, in both cases, prevention is better than cure. You should consult your doctor.
It must also be noted that Dengue Fever is making its way south and there have been many reported cases in Northern Argentina, that means prevention is better than cure and protection from Mosquito bites is even more important when travelling north.
During the last 18-months, some parts of Argentina, including Buenos Aires have been much wetter and ‘plagued’ by pesky Mosquitoes and Mosquito bites, this Spring seems no better and I find myself (they love me) dive bombed by the blighters every time I go to Buenos Aires’ wonderful parks. So my first tip is – bring Deet (it works the best), forget Citronella, the locals (Mosquitoes) seem to thrive on it.
If bitten resist scratching, use your mind to zap-it, scratching makes Mosquito bites much worse and itchier and once programmed you tear bites in your sleep; I looked a mess last year and still have the scars! If like me you are allergic to the bites and swell, take anti-histamine daily, before you get Mosquito bites.
Speak to your GP (general doctor) before coming to South America and more specifically about your travel health in Buenos Aires and Argentina – it is worth mentioning following immunisations:
Hepatitis A (everyone), Hepatitis B (if you intend long-term sexual partners or unsafe sex), Tetanus and Typhoid.
If like me you never had any childhood illnesses such as Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Chickenpox, have a word with the doctor, as all these diseases are more prevalent due to poorer standards of preventative medicine and lower percentages of the population receiving childhood immunisation.
So travel health in Buenos Aires, Argentina and South America is clearly about prevention, speak to your GP – plan ahead as preventative care requires that your body has time to build immunity.
Other resources:
Health services in Buenos Aires
Medical Care in Buenos Aires
Health Insurance
