Makes me think that it always worth carrying condoms with you. Never know when they come in handy.
Going swimming: got protection?
03 October 2001By ROSEMARIE NORTH
Men on a two-month South America expedition will wear condoms to avoid an exotic disease.But it's not what you'd expect.
Expedition doctor and travel medicine specialist Marc Shaw says a small Amazonian catfish, the candiru, is known to swim up the urethra, die in the bladder and cause agonising pain.
The candiru is attracted by urine passed accidently or on purpose.
"It's the only place in the world where you put on a condom to go swimming," said Dr Shaw, from Hamilton's Anglesea Clinic.
Another option is wearing a cricket box in the water.
Or: "just hold tight. If the fish swims up there the pain is excruciating and the fish has to be surgically removed from the bladder," says Dr Shaw.
Piranhas, stingrays, snakes and disease-carrying mosquitos are other dangers Dr Shaw may face on the Sir Peter Blake-led trip up the Amazon and on to smaller waterways.
"It's going to be an incredibly fascinating trip but from a medical, practical point of view, the (medical) kit will be important, and making the crew aware of the health risks.
"On a boat you want to be taking off your shirt to rest in the sun but that could be risky."
This month, the team's schooner, Seamaster, will head up the Amazon to study people's use of water.
Most of the 26 trippers will use smaller vessels to continue along lesser waterways to the Orinoco River, while the Seamaster travels to meet them in Venezuela.
Film and TV crews are part of the expedition.
Dr Shaw says the expedition, wilder than his last trip into Vietnam, will help him treat travellers.
"It's quite an honour, obviously. It's an extension of what I do.
"More and more people are doing these adventures
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