Lot of talk on the other thread about getting some sort of bug or disease while or after hunting. My wife and myself developed tick fever in 2006. It took around two weeks before we had the symptoms. I did remember waking up with a mild night sweat about 3-4 days into hunting. We knocked it out with doxy with no further problems.

Question:
How many of you have contracted a disease or parasite from hunting in Africa?

Choices:
Yes, resolved it with drugs.
Yes, still have some problems.
No, except for terminal safaritis.

 

But I do take my shots and malaria pills

the terminal safaritis is a mean son of a bee
keep you broke the rest of your life!-------but what the hell, i rather be broke from safaris than let government and taxes take it

yeahbutt, the taxes are costing me hunting trips!

Not anything serious, but I did get amused at my rheumatologist, who was sitting there across his desk staring at my blood test results over his little half-reading glasses. After pondering the situation for some time, he said simply, "Where in the hell have you been?"

Tick Fever from KZN when hunting nyala there back in '02. Nothing a little antibiotics couldn't clear up in a few days...

The bug does not have to come from Africa. 40 years ago I was cleaning corals and got bit by something on my calf. Hurt like hell, lots of swelling, black dot in center whole calf turned black and blue. Doc said some kind of bug bite.

It went away but for the next 25 years whenever I got a cold, that spot on my calf would break out, become red, and was very sore. Each occurrence there after was less severe.

Last week my 2 year old Granddaughter "shared" a nasty cold from Georgia with me and that calf itched for 3 days. That original "bite" was 40 years ago.

Lots of bugs out there

Nothing from Africa, but the so-called "fish and chips" that I consumed from a poorly-selected restaurant in the Frankfort airport enroute took some of the joy out of my first day or so in Africa. Thank god for those little Pepto Abysmal pills!

Tick fever in SA and a nasty internal parasite from CAR last season. 26 pounds and 28 blood cultures later they still do not know the exact bug. But it was a hell of a time killing the damned thing !

Change of diet has caused me some distress on safari but I've learned to pack some Immodium and that take care of it. I had a small hard knot on my manhoods for about a year that I attributed to a pepper tick and a dry itchy spot on my ankle for months that I think was buffalo bean induced but generally I've been pretty healthy in Africa. Watch what you drink and eat remembering just because the locals can tolerate it does nnot mean you can.

Mark

Got bit by some kind of nasty spider the last night I was there in '08; took some good antibiotics back home to clear up.

Wow, those numbers are pretty staggering. I feel lucky to have not contracted anything....yet.

Tick bite fever in '08. Got doxy started within 24 hrs of first symptoms, and felt normal within 48 hrs after starting those.

Comparing the horror stories to my own experience, I think getting meds started fast makes a difference.

Bilharzia in Mozambique. I figure it is part of a life well lived

I've had the typical case of diarrhea on four out of 7 trips, each case lasting about 3 days and cured with cipro. The first case, in Zim, cost me two hunting days.

I also sustained a bite or sting of unknown origin on my left foot in bed on my first trip to Namibia. I felt the burn and by the time I got my flashlight in play whatever bit me was gone. By the time I got on the plane for home, two days later, I had swelling and streaks of red up to my knee. I went directly to the doctor upon arrival back home and was given a series of antibiotics. The pain and symptoms lasted for more than a month.

Malaria X 2
Bilharzia
Tick bite fever
Malta Fever in Caprivi. 6 weeks in Military hospital in Pretoria

1 X each malaria and tick bite fever. Never had a day of problems with food or other GI related issues.

I am not sure what I brought back from Zim. I felt fine, and noticed red swirls going up both legs. Looked like a candy cane. Went to the doc, who couldn't figure it out and conferred with the local infectious docs and Loma Linda. Put me on oral antibiotics, which didn't help and had to have IV antibiotics for a couple of weeks. Carried around a fanny pack with the meds and a little pump and timer.

Whatever it was finally decided to leave or go back to Zim.

Another time, after returning from Zim, about 2 weeks later, I came down with flu/malaria type symptoms. Off to the hospital for a battery of tests. It was the flu.

Cheers, PG

I got falcipirum malaria and fell and broke my leg and finger buts thats all in 30 trips

You can get by without a lot of meds but Immodium is a must.

Tick bite fever Zim. 2000, both me and my wife.

Paul K

In ten safaris I've never been sick a day. However, upon returning home one time I discovered something buried in the back of my knee. I called the U. of Washington health travel clinic and spoke with one of the docs. He was so interested he came to my house to photograph it. Turned out to be some rare type of tick.

In the mid 90's, I was hunting in Zim. The PH got sick, then the cameraman got sick. The hunt ended and I left. In Johannesburg, i got REALLY sick. When I got home, there was a fax waiting. Everyone at the camp got sick. They decided to check the water. There were 3 dead monkeys in the water reservoir . I had a parasite. It took quite a while to rid myself of this problem.

Nope, only three times over the pond, nothing yet. 4th time coming up in August.
I take Malarone on every trip and carry Doxy in my kit though, and had all the shots.

Six safaris to Africa (Zim, Tanz & Moz). Got tick bite fever in Zim as did
my hunting partner. Symptoms gone in 12 hours using Doxycycline. Will
always carry it with me on safari! I use Malarone for malaria prophylaxis &
so far no problems. Interesting to note that so far the poll shows around 50%
of the safari hunters have had some sort of illness?
Jim

Tick bite fever, RSA 2005. Doxy seemed to take care of it. Have had a few bouts of very similar symptoms since, but its doubtful its still lingering in the system somewhere.

Been mosquito and tsetse bit, and picked pepper ticks off of me, so many times it's amazing that I haven't yet managed to come down with something.

I do think it's just a matter of time.

There are very good reasons that, in the time of quinine only, Africa was known as the white man's grave.

Bloody well knock wood and throw some salt!

Tick bite fever in 2005 in South Africa, East Cape. Cleared up with meds after coming home.
Now I always have doxy along & will take it at first sign of possible illness.

Well this one time at the hotel del rey in costa rica...... never mind, you guys said africa....

Four trips over so far, and never a problem. Next trip to RSA in July so am current on shots, will take Malarone, and have Doxy along in case. Immodium seems to work the best for me for digestive upsets.

One trip to the hospital in Namibia when I sliced my face and eye open, but a little repair work and super glue let me finish out the trip with only one day lost.

Are ticks/bites more prevalent in the African Summer or Winter months? Making my first trip over in May.

Three trips, (two Zim, one SA) no problems for me, my buddy got tick bite fever in SA. He didn't get on it right away and left him with lasting problems.
Armbar.

By the sounds of things, the bugs are just waiting to ambush visitors. I live here and have only been nailed by the "galloping heebies" after eating suspect curry or some such foods. The pimple / boil type things, those with black centres, knock the top off, apply some TCP then cover with Bactroban.

JGRaider; winter time is best for "pepper ticks", the larval stage, hundreds of tiny little bastards, each one capable of making you remove your skin with your finger nails, scrubbing brushes, etc. The itching really gets under way a day or so afterwards and intensifies when ever you warm up, in the bath or shower and as you fall asleep in bed. They are normally picked up in sheltered spots, under trees or bush where they would be protected from frosts etc.

12 safaris (6 Namibia, 6 to Zim) No problems, no parasites. But took malaria pills. (Malarone)
Cheers, Hans

I caught a 120 pound brunette parasite while hunting in Arkansas. It took 7 years of suffering and a good lawyer to get rid of. Yes, I was a slow learner.

Tick bite fever in South Africa a number of years ago and then a very bad case of Salmonella last year in Moz. Had to fly out early in Moz I was so dehydrated and disoriented. IV and Antibiotics at a private clinic in Beira fixed me up and I was back on my feet in a couple days. Not fun.

I contracted Dingue Fever in Limpopo in2006. The symptoms didn't apear till I got home. Was pretty sick for about 10 days, but it ran it's course and everything is fine now.
Happily the only medicine for Safaritis is to return to Africa for my inocculation. When I'm home I find a shot of Amarula helps.

Bob

quote:

Originally posted by timg953:
I caught a 120 pound brunette parasite while hunting in Arkansas. It took 7 years of suffering and a good lawyer to get rid of. Yes, I was a slow learner.

She was punching out of her division, or was it a catch-weight fight?

I caught a 120 pound brunette parasite while hunting in Arkansas. It took 7 years of suffering and a good lawyer to get rid of. Yes, I was a slow learner.

Caught a water borne bug in Zimbabwe in a supposedly safe area, that kept me sick, off and on, for nearly a year. Finally went to the Dr. and he gave me a pill that killed everything crawling around inside.