Brazil

It’s a long way back by bus in Brazil from the mythic land of the capivara

Brazil's Parque Nacional Serra da Capivara has prehistoric rock paintings that show Homo sapiens lived in South America at least 100,000 years ago

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Health and diseases in Brazil

Although there are no compulsory vaccinations required to enter in Brazil, certain precautions should be taken, certainly if you’re staying for any length of time or visiting the more remote regions.

Taking out travel insurance is vital , and you should take all possible precautions to guard against AIDS (SIDA), a worry in Brazil.

HIV and SIDA (in Portuguese, AIDS) in Brazil – diseases

Brazil has one of the world’s highest number of people with AIDS and HIV.

There are many reasons for this: a scandalous lack of screening of either blood donors or supplies in the 1980s; the level of gay sex between men amongst whom bisexuality is common; the popularity of anal sex, not least amongst heterosexual couples; and the sharing of needles, both amongst drug users in large cities and, in the past, when injections were given for medical purposes, even in hospitals.

Diarrhoea, dysentery and giardia in Brazil – diseases

Diarrhoea is something everybody gets at some stage, and there’s little to be done except drink a lot (but not alcohol) and bide your time.

You should also replace salts either by taking oral rehydration salts or by mixing a teaspoon of salt and eight of sugar in a litre of purified water.

You can minimize the risk by being sensible about what you eat and by not drinking tap water anywhere. This isn’t difficult, given the extreme cheapness and universal availability of soft drinks and mineral water.

Hepatitis in Brazil – diseases

Wherever you go, protection against hepatitis A is a sensible precaution.

The disease is transmitted through contaminated water and food, resulting in fever and diarrhoea, and it can also cause liver damage.

Gammaglobulin injections, one before you go and boosters every six months, are the standard protection.