No-See-Um Sandflies, "Chitra" Probably the #1 issue with the place are the no-see-um sandflies, locally known as "chitra". The bite hurts only slightly and only for a split second, but the bite itches for several days. After a while, you get immune to the itching effect, but the main issue is that sandflies can transmit a form of Leishmaniasis. This is a nasty disease with an effective, but painful treatment involving IVs, or painful daily injections. In healthy adults it often goes away spontaneously, but in rare cases it can come back after years, so most doctors recommend treatment even if your body fights it successfully. Some people's bodies don't cope well with some of the treatments and have to switch to a different therapy. All that said, no one who lived at CocoVivo has ever become infected with Leishmaniasis, but there have been cases n the neighborhood. The best thing to do is not to get bitten. It helps that they are not around all the time. For starters, as long as there is a breeze, they are usually not bad at all. Also, they are usually only there at sunrise and sunset, and at during bright (ie full moon) nights. Also, each of the following, by itself, is effective against them, and combinations work well for the paranoid:
There are very few mosquitoes at the CocoVivo retreat. I have seen perhaps 5 over the years. It's better to not get bitten, because there is a small risk of contracting dengue fever. However, this risk is MUCH higher in areas with lots of people movement (such is in town, or at rural bus stops), as there are more hosts there and more mosquitoes carry it. There is no Malaria in Bocas, so it's NOT recommended to take anti-malarial pills. They are unnecessary and can have nasty side effects, including triggering depression (!). Snakes There are venomous snakes on the island. The most common one is the Bushmaster (locally known as "Vibora"). We keep the area around the houses clean, so no danger there, but if going on a jungle hike, rubber boots are advisable. Also, Tita, the world's best dog, usually comes along and spots any snakes before they spot you. Wasps, Scorpions, Jellyfish, Ants We have all these, and the damage ranges from minor nuisance to a few minutes of pain. Wasps can be a bit more sever, but I have never been bitten by one in Bocas. |