Dee Finney's blog - January 27 2,012 - page 116 Preparing for Your Trip to Uruguay

1--27-12 - DREAM: I was in the bedroom of my New Berlin. WI house. It was early in the morning and I decided to use the bathroom and take a shower.

I started taking my clothes off and discovered I was wearing three white bras and a yellow shirt. I thought to myself, "Whoever wears three bras at the same time?. I usually don't wear any bra at all to sleep in. "

Then I noticed the drain wasn't working, so I called out to my husband that the drain didn't work. He didn't answer.

so I walked into the next room and saw my husband heading outside to the garage.

I wanted to ask him if HE had called a plumber or if he was going to fix it himself, and when I got to the door, there was a big black man standing there.

He was About 7 feet tall. I asked him, "Did my husband call you to fix the plumbing?"

The man didn't answer my question, and suddenly he was followed into the house by five more large black men, all over 7 feet tall, all carrying plumbing tools, wearing work clothes and work boots, and wearing tool belts around their waists.

By then I started hollering out to the garage, "Jim! Jim!" and I wasn't getting any answer.

I called louder, "Jim!" and then heard my husband start the car and he backed it out of the garage, down the driveway and into a large garage on the other side of the street.

I saw him get out of the car, but now that he was across the street, I had to holler louder, "Jim!" Jim!" Jim!" and he wasn't paying any attention.

I was not about to go back into the house alone with those six huge black guys there.

Then I saw a mob of kids coming my way from the neighborhood, and one of the boys said, "Why don't you answer your phone? We've been trying to call you to tell you to stop hollering."

There were some young teen girls there, and I told them about the six black guys in my house and they understood why I didn't want to go into the house alone with that many strange men in the house.

So I started walking past my house, and there was a brand new addition on the house, but of white limestone bricks, and from inside the house I could hear a church choir singing.

So when I got to the street, I turned towards the south, which was left and started walking down the street.

I could see I was in a city, and the house I had left was in the country so immediately I wondered how I was going to get back home. I didn't even know where I was.

So I started lookiing for a street sign because then once I knew what street I was on, I could find my way back home.

When I got to the corner, there were signs at the corner like normal, but I couldn't read them. They didn't appear to be in English. I looked closer and I thought maybe it said Arizona, but it didn't quite look like that either. It looked foreign.

There was a man standing at the corner, apparently waiting for a bus, so I asked him "Where am I?"

I never heard of a street called that in my town, so I asked again, "Where exactly am I"

He pointed across the street and said in English, "Look at the building sign across the street."

There were no other people on the street. All the stores were closed, even though the things in the store windows looked like home.

I was getting hungry and all these stores were closed anyway so I couldn't guy anything. "All I had was American money too."

Finally I came to an open door and saw that they sold pop corn and candy corn. So I decided to buy some pop corn with a coin I had in my pocket. That bought me just a tiny bag of popcorn but it was better than nothing.

So I started munching on the pop corn, walking down the street, trying to figure out how I was going to get home now that I was in a foreign country.

NOTE FROM DEE: APPARENTLY I GOT TO URUGUAY THE EASY WAY. HERE IS WHAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS TO DO.

iT CAME TO ME LATER THAT THE BLACK MEN MIGHT HAVE BEEN 'THE BLACK LORDS', BUT THAT IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT TOPIC.

Preparing for Your Trip to Uruguay

Before visiting Uruguay, you may need to get the following vaccinations and medications for vaccine-preventable diseases and other diseases you might be at risk for at your destination: (Note: Your doctor or health-care provider will determine what you will need, depending on factors such as your health and immunization history, areas of the country you will be visiting, and planned activities.)

To have the most benefit, see a health-care provider at least 4–6 weeks before your trip to allow time for your vaccines to take effect.

Even if you have less than 4 weeks before you leave, you should still see a health-care provider for needed vaccines and other medications and information about how to protect yourself from illness and injury while traveling.

CDC recommends that you see a health-care provider who specializes in Travel Medicine. Find a travel medicine clinic near you. If you have a medical condition, you should also share your travel plans with any doctors you are currently seeing for other medical reasons.

If your travel plans will take you to more than one country during a single trip, be sure to let your health-care provider know so that you can receive the appropriate vaccinations and information for all of your destinations. Long-term travelers, such as those who plan to work or study abroad, may also need additional vaccinations as required by their employer or school.

Although yellow fever is not a disease risk in Uruguay, the government requires some travelers arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever virus transmission to present proof of yellow fever vaccination. If you will be traveling to Uruguay from any country other than the United States, this requirement may affect you. For specific requirement details, see Yellow Fever & Malaria Information, by Country.

Be sure your routine vaccinations are up-to-date. Check the links below to see which vaccinations adults and children should get.

Routine vaccines, as they are often called, such as for influenza, chickenpox (or varicella), polio, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), and diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) are given at all stages of life; see the childhood and adolescent immunization schedule and routine adult immunization schedule.

Routine vaccines are recommended even if you do not travel. Although childhood diseases, such as measles, rarely occur in the United States, they are still common in many parts of the world. A traveler who is not vaccinated would be at risk for infection.

Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

Vaccine recommendations are based on the best available risk information. Please note that the level of risk for vaccine-preventable diseases can change at any time.

Vaccination or Disease	Recommendations or Requirements for Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
Routine	Recommended if you are not up-to-date with routine shots, such as measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) vaccine, poliovirus vaccine, etc.
Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG)	Recommended for all unvaccinated people traveling to or working in countries with an intermediate or high level of hepatitis A virus infection (see map) where exposure might occur through food or water. Cases of travel-related hepatitis A can also occur in travelers to developing countries with "standard" tourist itineraries, accommodations, and food consumption behaviors.
Hepatitis B	Recommended for all unvaccinated persons traveling to or working in countries with intermediate to high levels of endemic HBV transmission (see map), especially those who might be exposed to blood or body fluids, have sexual contact with the local population, or be exposed through medical treatment (e.g., for an accident).
Typhoid	Recommended for all unvaccinated people traveling to or working in Temperate South America, especially if staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities, villages, or rural areas where exposure might occur through food or water.

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

Items to Bring with You

Medicines you may need:

The prescription medicines you take every day. Make sure you have enough to last during your trip. Keep them in their original prescription bottles and always in your carry-on luggage. Be sure to follow security guidelines, if the medicines are liquids.
Medicine for diarrhea, usually over-the-counter.

Note: Some drugs available by prescription in the US are illegal in other countries. Check the US Department of State Consular Information Sheets for the country(s) you intend to visit or the embassy or consulate for that country(s). If your medication is not allowed in the country you will be visiting, ask your health-care provider to write a letter on office stationery stating the medication has been prescribed for you.

Other items you may need:

Iodine tablets and portable water filters to purify water if bottled water is not available. See A Guide to Water Filters, A Guide to Commercially-Bottled Water and Other Beverages, and Safe Food and Water for more detailed information.
Sunblock and sunglasses for protection from harmful effects of UV sun rays. See Basic Information about Skin Cancer for more information.
Antibacterial hand wipes or alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.
To prevent insect/mosquito bites, bring:
- Lightweight long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and a hat to wear outside, whenever possible.
- Flying-insect spray to help clear rooms of mosquitoes. The product should contain a pyrethroid insecticide; these insecticides quickly kill flying insects, including mosquitoes.

See other suggested over-the-counter medications and first aid items for a travelers' health kit.

Note: Check the Air Travel section of the Transportation Security Administration website for the latest information about airport screening procedures and prohibited items.

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Other Diseases Found in Temperate South America
Risk can vary between countries within this region and also within a country; the quality of in-country surveillance also varies.

The following are disease risks that might affect travelers; this is not a complete list of diseases that can be present. Environmental conditions may also change, and up to date information about risk by regions within a country may also not always be available.

Dengue outbreaks have occurred in several countries in Temperate South America. An outbreak occurred on Easter Island (Chile) in 2002. American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease) and leishmaniasis are diseases carried by insects that also occur in this region, mostly in rural areas. Protecting yourself against insect bites (see below) will help to prevent these diseases. Sporadic cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (Andes virus; rodent reservoir host) have been reported from Argentina and Chile.

Other vector-borne infections include bartonellosis (limited to the slopes of the Andes in Chile). Leishmaniasis (both cutaneous and mucocutaneous) is endemic in northern Argentina and may be present in Uruguay.

Histoplasmosis is endemic in Uruguay. Coccidioidomycosis is found in focal areas of Argentina and Chile.

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Staying Healthy During Your Trip

Prevent Insect Bites

Many diseases, like dengue, are spread through insect bites. One of the best protections is to prevent insect bites by:

Using insect repellent (bug spray) with 30%-50% DEET. Picaridin, available in 7% and 15% concentrations, needs more frequent application. There is less information available on how effective picaridin is at protecting against all of the types of mosquitoes that transmit malaria.
Wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and a hat outdoors.

For detailed information about insect repellent use, see Insect and Arthropod Protection.

Prevent Animal Bites and Scratches

Direct contact with animals can spread diseases like rabies or cause serious injury or illness. It is important to prevent animal bites and scratches.

Be sure you are up to date with tetanus vaccination.
Do not touch or feed any animals, including dogs and cats. Even animals that look like healthy pets can have rabies or other diseases.
Help children stay safe by supervising them carefully around all animals.
If you are bitten or scratched, wash the wound well with soap and water and go to a doctor right away.
After your trip, be sure to tell your doctor or state health department if you were bitten or scratched during travel.

For more information about rabies and travel, see the Rabies chapter of the Yellow Book or CDC's Rabies homepage. For more information about how to protect yourself from other risks related to animals, see Animal-Associated Hazards.

Be Careful about Food and Water

Diseases from food and water are the leading cause of illness in travelers. Follow these tips for safe eating and drinking:

Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially before eating. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand gel (with at least 60% alcohol).
Drink only bottled or boiled water, or carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans or bottles. Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes. If this is not possible, learn how to make water safer to drink.
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 diarrhea. Make sure to bring diarrhea medicine with you so that you can treat mild cases yourself.

Avoid Injuries

Car crashes are a leading cause of injury among travelers. Protect yourself from these injuries by:

Not drinking and driving.
Wearing your seat belt and using car seats or booster seats in the backseat for children.
Following local traffic laws.
Wearing helmets when you ride bikes, motorcycles, and motor bikes.
Not getting on an overloaded bus or mini-bus.
Hiring a local driver, when possible.
Avoiding night driving.

Other Health Tips

To avoid infections such as HIV and viral hepatitis do not share needles for tattoos, body piercing, or injections.
To reduce the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases always use latex condoms.
To prevent fungal and parasitic infections, keep feet clean and dry, and do not go barefoot, especially on beaches where animals may have defecated.

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After You Return Home

If you are not feeling well, you should see your doctor and mention that you have recently traveled. Also tell your doctor if you were bitten or scratched by an animal while traveling.

Important Note: This document is not a complete medical guide for travelers to this region. Consult with your doctor for specific information related to your needs and your medical history; recommendations may differ for pregnant women, young children, and persons who have chronic medical conditions.

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Map Disclaimer - The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on maps do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement are generally marked.