Malaria Immunization for Colonial Mexico?
 

Not sure where else to put this....

We have some friends who are flying a charter jet to the San Miguel de Allende ( BJX) area to visit us this winter. They are using Netjets who has advised them that malaria immunization (the course of pills) is required for travel into this area. I said that is ridiculous. I checked the CDC and nothing is listed. We have been travelling down there for 20 years and have never heard of any malaria cases in this mountain desert town.....

I suggested my friends try another service if netjets is insistant......

Weird. I also checked CDC for friends who are in SMA right now. They flew commercial, no recommendation made, but some friend mentioned thye should have it. Malaria pills, Lariam, are not something to be taken lightly (no joke intended.) They don't bother me, but many people have had severe side effects.

Maybe something's going on in SMA, where the countryside is dry brush, but I'd save the pills for India, parts of Asia, Africa ... maybe the jungles of Mexico.

There's no immunization. It's preventative pills and they need to be started 2 weeks before you go IIRC. I have no idea if the area in question is malaria territory, though.

I agree with this... I certainly follow this when I travel in/and out of such areas
but I dont know if the area in question has the malaria issue.

I also rely on the CDC website for such information. There are a variety of malaria phrophylactics and different ones are recommended depending on what type of malaria is present in the area. Some frequently have very uncomfortable side effects and some have no side effects. I'm not familiar with what needs to be started two weeks in advance, but several require a start ranging from 1 week to 1 day in advance of being in the area. In any event, I'd trust the CDC and/or a travel doc over NetJets on this matter.

Here's the CDC page on Mexico:
http://www.cdc.gov/travel/regionalmalaria/camerica.htm

Mexico: Risk in rural areas, including resorts in rural areas, of the following states: Campeche, Chiapas, Guerrero, Michoacán, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo, Sinaloa, and Tabasco. In addition, risk exists in Jalisco State (in its mountainous northern area only). Risk also exists in an area between 24° north and 28° north latitude and 106° west and 110° west longitude which lies in parts of the states of Sonora, Chihuahua, and Durango. No malaria risk along the United States-Mexico border. No malaria risk in the major resorts (that is, resorts located in urban areas) along the Pacific and Gulf coasts, although tourists should use insect repellent and other anti-mosquito measures.

I saw this too and sent it on to our friends...San Miguel is in the State of Guanajuato....high desert...and is not even mentioned on the cdc list.