Costa Rica Health

Costa Rica Health - Before travelling to Costa Rica, all travellers should visit either their personal family doctor or a travel health clinic 4-6 weeks before departure.

Even if you have less than 4 weeks before you leave, you should still see your doctor or a health-care provider for needed vaccines, anti-malaria drugs and other medications and information about how to protect yourself from illness and injury while travelling to Costa Rica.

Costa Rica Health - When travelling to Costa Rica bring adequate supplies of all medications in their original containers, clearly labelled. Carry a signed, dated letter from your family doctor describing all medical conditions and listing all medications, including generic names. If carrying syringes or needles be sure to carry a doctor’s letter documenting their medical necessity. Pack all medications in hand luggage; carry a duplicate supply in the checked luggage. If you wear glasses or contacts, bring an extra pair. If you have significant allergies or chronic medical problems, wear a medical alert bracelet.

Costa Rica Health - All travellers should make sure that health insurance covers for medical expenses abroad. If not, supplemental insurance for overseas coverage, including possible evacuation, should be seriously considered. If illness occurs while abroad, medical expenses including evacuation may run to tens of thousands of dollars. Don’t take that risk.

Vaccinations

Hepatitis A - Recommended for all travellers

Hepatitis B - Recommended for all travellers

Typhoid - Recommended for all travellers

Yellow fever - Required for travellers arriving from a yellow-fever-infected country in Africa or the Americas

Rabies - Only recommended for travellers involved in any activities that might bring them into direct contact with bats, carnivores, and other mammals. These travellers include wildlife professionals, researchers, veterinarians, or adventure travellers visiting areas where bats, carnivores, and other mammals are commonly found.

Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) - Two doses recommended for all travellers born after 1956, if not previously given

Tetanus-diphtheria - Revaccination recommended every 10 years

Costa Rica - Areas with Malaria: Limon province, but not in Limon city (Puerto Limon). Rare cases in Puntarenas, Alajuela, Guanacaste, and Heredia provinces.If you will be visiting an area of Costa Rica with malaria, you will need to discuss with your doctor the best ways for you to avoid getting sick with malaria. Ways to prevent malaria include the following:

• Taking a prescription antimalarial drug

• Using insect repellent and wearing long pants and sleeves to prevent mosquito bites

• Sleeping in air-conditioned or well-screened rooms or using bednets

For Limon province in Costa Rica, primaquine is the preferred antimalarial drug (only after G6PD testing). Atovaquone/proguanil, chloroquine, doxycycline, and mefloquine are alternative choices. For information that can help you and your doctor decide which of these drugs would be best for you?

For all other provinces where there have been rare cases of malaria in Costa Rica, the risk of malaria is low and taking an antimalarial drug is not recommended. However, you should protect yourself from mosquito bites.

Symptoms

Symptoms for Malaria may include:

• Fever

• Chills

• Sweats

• Headache

• Body aches

• Nausea and vomiting

• Fatigue

Costa Rica Health - Malaria symptoms will occur at least 7 to 9 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Fever in the first week of travel in a malaria-risk area is unlikely to be malaria; however, you should see a doctor right away if you develop a fever during your trip.

Malaria may cause anemia and jaundice. Malaria infections with Plasmodium falciparum, if not promptly treated, may cause kidney failure, coma, and death. Despite using the protective measures outlined above, travellers may still develop malaria up to a year after returning from a malarias area. You should see a doctor immediately if you develop a fever anytime during the year following your return and tell the doctor of your travel.Malaria Contact for Health-Care Providers

For assistance with the diagnosis or management of suspected cases of malaria, call the CDC Malaria Hotline: 770-488-7788. For emergency consultation after hours, call 770-488-7100 and ask to speak with a CDC Malaria Branch clinician.

Ambulance

Costa Rica Health - For a medical emergency, call Red Cross Ambulance: 911, 128, or 221-5818. For a private ambulance, call Clinica Biblica: 257-0466. For a pediatric emergency, call Hospital Nacional de Ninos: 222-0122.

Medical facilities

Costa Rica Health - Costa Rica has good medical care available in San Jose, but may be limited elsewhere. Most travellers go to one of the private hospitals, usually Hospital Clinica Biblica (Calle central y primera, Avenidas 14 16, Apartado 1307-1000, San Jose; tel. 506-522-1000; website http://www.clinicabiblica.com) or Hospital Cima San Jose (located 500 m west of the tollbooths on Prospero Ferna¡ndez Freeway; tel. 506-208-1000; emergency tel. 506-208-1144; website http://www.hospitalsanjose.net; affiliated with Baylor University Medical Centre, Dallas, Texas). Both hospitals are relatively small, but both include a 24-hour emergency room, an intensive care unit, surgical and maternity services, CAT scan and MRI, and a 24-hour pharmacy. Both of them accept a number of U.S. health insurance plans.

For a list of other hospitals, doctors and dentists, go to the U.S. Embassy website: http://sanjose.usembassy.gov/medical.html. Most doctors and hospitals will expect payment in cash, regardless of whether you have travel health insurance. Serious medical problems will require air evacuation to a country with state-of-the-art medical facilities.

Food and Water

Costa Rica Health - Diseases from food and water are the leading cause of illness in travellers.

Followings are some of the tips for safe eating and drinking:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially before eating

• Drink only bottled or boiled water, or carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans or bottles. Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes

• Do not eat food purchased from street vendors

• Make sure food is fully cooked

• Avoid dairy products, unless you know they have been pasteurized.

Diseases from food and water often cause vomiting and diarrhoea. Make sure to bring diarrhoea medicine with you so that you can treat mild cases yourself.

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