3 times in 6 months.
Don´t know if it was a recurrence or reinfection, but whilst working in West Africa last year I tested positive for malaria 3 times. The symptoms in each case ranged from mild flu to full on fevers, diarrhea and in bed for 4 days and not back to full health for weeks. Luckily at the time I was working for a medical relief organisation and treatment was very close at hand in the form of Coartem. If you can get some before you leave, definately use it to treat your on the road malaria.
Malaria is especially dangerous to under 5 year olds who have not yet developed a full strength immune system and are probably under nourished to boot. I´ve heard stories about natural immmunity, however I was working with Kenyan & DRC expats who also suffered malaria bouts. This was in Sierra Leone, so maybe you can get resistant to your local strain perhaps?
Why did I get it? I never remember to take daily medicines and I can´t sleep with Lariam...
Interestingly, the first bout was the mildest. I was the second that knocked me down.
For my 2 cents, for travel I´d try again with Lariam.
Cheers!
Last edited by Cam Johnson; 22 Oct 2007 at 16:35.
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