Malaria - Resistance to Chloroquine in Africa
 

Hi,

I am just about to enter the malaria zone on the east coast of Africa. I have read on the WHO website that there is widespread malaria reistance to the Chloroquine drug, for which I now have lots of (useless) tablets.

When I was in SE Asia six months ago, I was prescribed doxycycline tablets. Does anyone know if this medication is also effective in Africa?

cheers
Matt Roach

Hi there. I was at a travel show in London at the weekend, and, according to woman from a travel clinic called www.nomadtravel.co.uk, Doxycycline does cover you against Malaria in Africa. She also recommended Malarone - but apparently that's quite expensive. The ones that no longer work are Chloroquine and Proguanil (according to her). The hospital for Tropical Diseases in London could probably give the best advice...and the most impartial. Travel safe...

we've just got back from a trip from uk to south africa. we took doxycyclin and didnt get malaria. but then we also took steps to prevent being bitten..we did get sensitive skin after using it for two months BUT we also found thats its much much cheaper to buy there rather than buy here..by much i mean ten times cheaper
good luck

jeff & jean watts

www.gonewandering.co.uk

I think your pills are not strong enough for the specific malaria threat of Sudan etc.
Deadly malaria called "Plasmodium falciparum" , exists in east Africa,
"LARIAM" offers protection against this kind.
Chloroquine is a group 2 chimioprophylax(enough in west Africa only!), mefloquine(LARIAM) is a group 3 chimioprophylax and specified for Sudan.
An alternative can be MALARONE(Atovaquone+Proguanil) but LARIAM is the safest for where you´re heading.

Matt

FWIW I've twice used Lariam in West Africa and on both occasions caught malaria. The second time I was advised to switch to chloroquine, which I did and had no further problems. I belive chloroquine was also used to cure me. I've used chloroquine on subsequent trips to the region and experienced no problems.

I was told (in a hospital in Mali) that Lariam was not effective in West Africa. Is this true?