South America (tropic)

Brazil

Brazil has a developing economy. Facilities for tourism are good in the major cities, but they vary in quality in remote areas. The capital is Brasilia.

CRIME: Crime rates vary widely throughout Brazil, but tend to be highest in the larger cities, particularly Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The incidence of crime against tourists is greater in areas surrounding beaches, hotels, discotheques, bars, nightclubs and other similar establishments that cater to visitors, especially at dusk and during the evening hours. Street crime can occur both during the day and night, and safer areas of the city are not immune. Incidents of theft on city buses are frequent, and such transportation should be avoided. Several Brazilian cities have established specialized tourist police units to patrol areas frequented by tourists.

At airports, hotel lobbies, bus stations and other public places there is much pick-pocketing, and the theft of carry-on luggage, briefcases, and laptop computers is common. Travellers should "dress down" when outside and avoid carrying valuables or wearing jewelry or expensive watches.

"Good Samaritan" scams are common. If a tourist looks lost or seems to be having trouble communicating, he or she may be victimized by a seemingly innocent and helpful bystander. Care should be taken at and around banks and internationally connected automatic teller machines that take U.S. credit or debit cards.

Very poor neighborhoods known as "favelas," often located on steep hillsides, are found in Rio de Janeiro and throughout Brazil. These areas are the site of uncontrolled criminal activity, and are not patrolled by police. Americans are advised to avoid these unsafe areas at all times.

Sao Paulo: While similar incidents may occur elsewhere, all areas of Sao Paulo have a high rate of armed robbery of pedestrians at stoplights. There is a particularly high incidence of robberies and pickpocketing in the Praca da Se section of Sao Paulo and on the eastern part of the city. As is true of "red light districts" in other cities, the area of Sao Paulo on Rua Augusta north of Avenida Paulista and the Estacao de Luz metro area is especially dangerous. There are regular reports of young women known as "Mickey Finn girls" slipping knock-out drops in men's drinks and robbing them of all their belongings while they are unconscious.

Rio de Janeiro: The city continues to experience a high incidence of crime. Tourists are particularly vulnerable to street thefts and robberies on and in areas adjacent to all the main beaches in the city. Walking on the beaches themselves is very dangerous at night. In Rio de Janeiro, motorists are allowed to treat stoplights as stop signs between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. to protect against holdups while their cars are stopped. All incidents should be reported to the tourist police, who can be reached at 511-5112.

MEDICAL FACILITIES: Medical care is generally good, but it varies in quality, particularly in remote areas, and it may not meet western standards outside the major cities.

Arthropodborne diseases:

• Malaria below 900 m in the region of " Legal Amazonia "
• Chagas disease
• Filariasis
• Leishmaniasis
• Plague
• Yellow fever in the forests

We recommend to prevent Arthropodborne diseases:

• Usage of long-sleeved shirt and long pants to wear whenever possible while outside, to prevent illnesses carried by insects
• Usage of insect repellent containing DEET (diethylmethyltoluamide), in 30%–35% strength for adults and 6%–10% for children. Unless you are staying in air-conditioned or well-screened housing
• Usage of a bed net impregnated with the insecticide permethrin.
• Staying and sleeping in air-conditioned houses

Water- and foodborne diseases:

• Travellers diarrhoea
• Hepatitis A
• Amoebiasis

Other diseases:

• Hepatitis B
• Schistosomiasis ( bilharziasis)

Vaccinations recommended;

• Yellow fever if visiting is planned Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso do Sul, Pará, Rondônia, Roraima, Tocantins and some areas in Minas Gerais, Parana and Sao Paulo. And when entering from a ellow fever endemic region.
• Hepatitis A or Immune Globulin
• Hepatitis B or Immune Globulin
• Typhoid fever - vaccination is particularly important because of the presence of S. typhi strains resistant to multiple antibiotics in this region.
• Rabies - if exposed to wild or domestic animals
• A booster for tetanus/diphtheria - if not covered which indicates not vaccinated within th last 10 years.

Stay healthy:

• Wash hands often with soap and water.
• Drink only boiled water, or water and carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans
• Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes.
• Eat only thoroughly cooked food or fruits and vegetables you have peeled yourself. Remember: boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it
• Protect yourself from insects by remaining in well-screened areas, using repellents (applied sparingly at 4-hour intervals) and permethrin-impregnated mosquito nets, and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants from dusk through dawn.
• Prevent fungal and parasitic infections, keep feet clean and dry, and do not go barefoot
• Do not travel at night
• Trafic accidents are frequent, be careful
• Always use latex condoms to reduce the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases
• Don’t eat food purchased from street vendors.
• Use mefloquine as malaria prophylaxis in risk areas (chloroquine resistance).

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Updated 18-Jul-2003 • İtraveldoctorOnline 2001 • Disclaimer • webmaster

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