Health risks & precautions

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Minimize health risks, get prepared for your trip!       

Peru is an exotic country, where potential health problems to the traveler can be just as exotic as the wildlife around.

Before going to Peru, the first thing is to get a full medical examination (a full check up) and then, take the necessary steps in order to prepare for the trip. Vaccinations can be necessary, the procurement of medicines for the trip is important as well.

This article is very long and detailed, about the top health-related issues. If you just need short information about the illnesses in Peru and the necessary vaccines, precautions, then obtain information in your country at the Peruvian Embassy, they should provide such information to travelers. If there is no Peruvian Embassy in your country, then usually a Peruvian Embassy or consulate (in another, nearby country) will serve you.

For those who want to find out more, below is detailed info about all risks, problems that could occur on a trip to Peru...

Yellow fever

If you're travelling to and infected area, vaccination for those above 6 months of age is necessary.

Peru recommends yellow fever vaccination for travelers who wish to visit jungle areas (such as the northeastern Iquitos area), places below 2.300 m (7.546 ft).

Yellow fever is a deadly and very unpleasant disease, spread primarily by mosquitoes infected with the yellow fever virus. Get good protection against stinging insects and avoid walking much in forests, this should minimize the risk.

Specialists advise to take yellow fever vaccine, which can immunize the traveler's organism. This way, this tropical disease can be mild and easily overcome if infected, otherwise, it can even lead to death. 

Symptoms of yellow fever are: headache, nausea, vomiting, muscle pain, back pain, high fever, chills.

If an infected mosquito bites someone, the person will have the symptoms of the illness in about 1 week. If after 7 days, no symptoms appear, then the person is highly unlikely to fall ill.

If you have doubts about your health, just take a blood test, it will show if you are infected or not.

Malaria

Perhaps, the most well known of all tropical diseases.

Malaria is spread by parasites within mosquitoes. If a mosquito bites someone, the parasites entering the body of the victim spread the deadly disease.

People with malaria experience symptoms like: fever, chills, flu-like symptoms, often headache.

Untreated malaria leads to death.

In the World, over 500 million cases of malaria infection occur each year, over 1 million people die because of the illness, most of them being young people, old people, children. Most cases of malaria occur in sub-Saharan Africa.

The illness is not always fatal, however. It can be prevented. Avoid being bitten by insects and take ant malarial medicine, usually given in the form of vaccines.

Officially, all areas of Peru are malaria zones, except: the Lima zone, the coastal area, Arequipa, Puno, the Machu Picchu, Cuzco and the Lake Titicaca areas. However, wondering into the forests and especially those in the lower, warmer lands, you might get exposed to the risk.

Even though, travelling to Machu Picchu is considered less risky, if you travel through the Inca Trail, we recommend you get a vaccine prior to the trip in order to ensure your protection.

Hepatitis

Symptoms are: fever, chills, fatigue, headache, yellowish skin and yellowish eyes (white parts of eyes become yellowish), loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, light coloured faeces, etc.

In Peru, there are 5 forms of hepatitis: A, B, C, D, E, each with different symptoms.

Hepatitis can be prevented if proper hygienic measures are taken. Can be contracted from people and animals, though body-fluids, but also by touch.

It is curable, but even today, it is a very long lasting and dangerous disease. It can lead to death if untreated, but it's rather long-lasting and highly unpleasant.

Rabies

Avoid contact with dogs and other animals that bite. Rabid animals spread rabies and also a variety of other diseases and parasites.

The disease can be treated, but, if you get bitten by any dog (for example), always get medical help within the next 24 hours! Rabies is spread through saliva, but can be easily treated if the person receives vaccine.

Never ignore any bite. All bites can be sources for infection. There is no guarantee and no way to tell if any bite is dangerous or not. Interrupt your visit, get medical care as fast as possible, within 24 hours. Then, you can resume your normal activity. 

Bartonellosis (or: Oroya fever, Guáitira Fever, Verruga Peruana, Carrion's Disease)

It is a sand fly-borne disease. It occurs arid river valleys, mostly in western areas in Peru, parts of Ecuador and Colombia, at altitudes of up to 3.000 m (9.842 ft). However, recently, specialists found that it can occur even at lower altitudes and in other regions.

It is often fatal, characterized by high fever and progressive anemia.

A specific bacterium (Bartonella Bacilliformis) causes this disease, which is transmitted by blood-sucking insects, such as leeches or mosquitoes, sand flies.

Typhus

The Lous-born typhus variant is more widespread, it occurs in mountain areas of Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.

Rodents, insects, especially fleas are the those that spread the disease.

High fever and headache are among the most common symptoms.

Typhus can be treated, usually antibiotics and tetracycline are offered to patients.

Minimizing the risk of exposure, avoid dirty places, dirty living quarters of cities and villages, where rodents and infected insects roam.

Food borne and waterborne diseases, digestive problems

Various infections with bacteria, viruses, parasites or caused by the presence of certain chemical substances (such as arsenic of mercury/quicksilver) is drinking water.

Hepatitis is frequent. It can be contracted from other people or from objects. Good hygiene can help you avoid getting sick. Hepatitis can lead to cirrhosis, a deadly liver disease.

Avoid eating in unreliable restaurants, where hygiene is precarious. Avoid drinking unbottled water. Don't drink from rivers, don't each unwashed fruits.

Avoid eating traditional meals that contain human saliva or components that your organism is not used to. Strangely, but yes, certain Peruvian foods are made with human spit, which locals believe to help the fermentation of the respective food.

Drink hot tea, which is good for your stomach, helps digestion and cleans your organism. Chamomile tea and Japanese green tea are alternatives to warm liquids.

Digestion is important, adequate alimentation and drinking plenty of liquids is important. Most tourists make the mistake not to drink warm liquids. If you are on a trip, these are highly important for your health. If you cannot get a good soup, take tea instead of it, repeat this about 5 times every day.

All these infos here should help you get prepared, they are not meant to scare anyone.

Food borne and waterborne diseases, digestive problems are most frequent among travelers, anywhere in the World. Eating, drinking, hygiene are the things to be taken into account when trying to avoid such problems.

Eating foods or drinking drinks that you're not used to can cause you severe sickness. It's best to stick to your usual menu, as much as possible.

Cholera is a deadly disease that can be contracted very easily. Simply, not washing your hands well enough can result in an infection. Eating unwashed fruits is one of the most popular ways of getting the disease. Infected food, drinking water or a simple handshake can all result in getting the cholera, an diarrheal disease.

Vomiting and muscle cramps are common symptoms, fever usually doesn't occur.

Cholera causes severe diarrhea, with large amounts of fluid output. Diarrhea is just one way of manifestation of the fluid output, vomiting and frequent urination are also common. If untreated, it can lead to severe dehydration.

Cholera can be prevented with good hygiene. It can also be treated, though it can be deadly, it's not as severe as malaria or yellow fever (which are also a different category of illnesses).   

Periodic epidemics of cholera occur in Latin America, an epidemic can last weeks or even years.

You don't need vaccine against cholera, good hygiene is considered to be enough.

Lung diseases, breath-spread diseases

There's a large variety of illnesses that spread through breath.

These are those types of diseases that one can contract most easily. Stay away from coughing and sneezing people and animals. Stay away from any creature showing any signs of aerial-contractible disease.

Snakes, insects, leeches

We won't present you the whole variety of snakes, leeches and insects that can cause harm, it's good to know that they are a threat and avoiding them is important. Therefore, avoid places where few people walk, like deep bushes, forests, avoid hot rocky places, where snakes often lie in the sun (reptiles like sunny rocky places). Avoid swamps, muddy watery places, where leeches live (these are also sources of dangerous illnesses).

Poisonous snakes and other creatures are feared for their poison, which they inject into the victim, through the wound, but such creatures also have a large amount of bacteria, viruses, parasites in their saliva. Regardless if venomous or not, snakes are known to spread dangerous diseases through their saliva.

Be extremely precautions to avoid ticks. These small insects bite their way under skin and feed themselves on blood. Ticks spread diseases from animals to humans and from humans to humans, but the biggest problem when being bitten by a tick is the insect itself. The tick often remains blocked between flesh and skin, in this case operation is necessary.

Ticks can be more difficult to fight against than snakes and leeches. This minuscule insect live in grass areas, especially open fields, uncovered hilltops, mostly where farm animals are being fed. In order to defend yourself, never wear long trousers, long sleeved shirts. This way, the animal cannot get in contact with your skin. Also, avoid sitting on grass and walking in deep vegetation.

Altitude sickness

A several day stay in Cuzco can make you get used to the altitudes around and on the spot of Machu Picchu. Cuzco is located slightly higher than Machu Picchu, so if you resist in Cuzco, you will in Machu Picchu too!

Untrained travelers and those sensitive to altitudes show signs like: nauseas, headache, general weakness, low blood-pressure, shortness of breath, vomiting, arrhythmia.

Diseases that can be contracted from animals

Always wash and scratch, bite or lick, received from any animal. Avoid contact with animals. Don't get close to local animals, such as llamas or stray dogs. A slight exposure can get you sick, but there's no need to get paranoic either.

Check our rabies section for more info on animal-spread diseases.

Avoiding contact with animals, especially dogs, cats, monkeys, rodents, insects, snakes, lizards, snakes etc.

Everyone knows what danger snakes pose, no need for much explanation.     

Plague

It's relatively rare, but it occurs in the Southeast, near the Bolivian border. Bolivia is place where plague is still a threat today, therefore take precautions.

Plague is spread by rodents, insects.

In Peru, the "Cuy", guinea pig in other words can be a source for this illness. This animal is eaten in Peru. And many naive tourists "check it out", then turn up severely ill or could potentially die. Perhaps it's not a good idea to "check it out".

However, being bitten by a rodent or an insect could cause plague.

This illness is still relatively rare.

Trichinosis

It's a disease spread by rodents, especially rats.

Infected rats bite house animals, such as pigs which are later cut and eaten by people. It's a disease that can be contracted by eating infected meat. Usually pig meat.

The "Cuy" (Guinea Pig, which is a rodent, similar to the rat) is a source for trichinosis.

Trichinosis is deadly, very dangerous, even modern medicine is very weak in front of such a disease.

Trichinosis is an illness spread by parasites, called "Trichinella", small worm-like creatures that enter the muscle tissue and start consuming it and multiplying in the human body. A person who has trichinosis actually has microscopic worms crawling between his muscles. These creatures consume flesh and they multiply rapidly. They can get anywhere in the body, from the stomach to the feet, from hands to the brain or heart.

The first symptoms of trichinosis appear in 1-2 days, usually, but there were cases when persons with stronger organisms got sick inly after 2 weeks. Symptoms are: eye swells, sight weakening, most often highly blurry vision (so blurry that some infected people can not even see a car coming on the street, for instance), strong dizziness, strong headache (lasting for days, weeks even), chills, coughs, strong muscle ache (because of the crawling and feeding Trichinella worms), itchy skin, abdominal pain, fatigue and diarrhea can last for months, even under treatment. Blood analysis shows a large amount of whit blood cells.

Trichinosis can be more unpleasant than malaria, yellow fever or hepatitis because it leaves parasites in the human body even after the disease was treated (if the patient survives). Trichinosis is not that well known in the Western World. This illness is very frequent in Peru and 3rd World countries in general.

To avoid it, don't eat unhygienic meat or suspicious looking foods that contain any type of meat. Because it is spread primarily by rodents, we advise you to avoid the local "delicacy", the Cuy (which is actually the Guinea Pig).                 

Protection against insects

In order to be better protected from diseases (such as malaria and yellow fever) that are spread primarily by insects, get protected.

Here's how: never wear short trousers, use insect repellant lotion/crème (whatever the producer calls it, the substance should scare insects away if applied on skin), don't walk at night and in the evening, when mosquitoes roam in the air, use bed nets, insecticides to protect yourself. 

We wish you a healthy and pleasant trip to Peru!