Hi Furious,

I've been living in West Africa for the last 10 months. The thing with taking preventative drugs is that its not 100% fool proof, and if you do get malaria its harder to detect as the drugs suppress the symptoms. I'd say your best bet is not to take any preventative drugs, but to make yourself aware of what the exact symptoms are. Carry a self test kit or take drugs when you feel the symptoms coming on. It wont cause any damage.

all the best,

Camps

I think this is the best solution. Are there several self kits? Do you have to suggest anyone?

__________________
Asia, 27 months, 73,000 km. - Africa, 3 years, 96,000 km. - Honda XR 250 - http://madnomad.gr

dear furious,
you might find the link below useful. take a look at, the "yellow book" also. many other useful recommendations are included.

http://www.cdc.gov/travel/regionalma...htm#prevention

This quote is from a medical paper on the very subject : "..Backpackers and other travelers who move from one malarious area to another are not usually familiar with local medical facilities, and they are unable to estimate the laboratory quality of malaria testing. Continuous chemoprophylaxis should therefore be encouraged when indicated. Priority should be given to drugs that may be used or both chemoprophylaxis and standby, such as mefloquine and atovaquone-proguanil
(Malarone-NB) rather than mefloquine (Lariam-NB)." ( Long-Term Malaria Prophylaxis for Travelers; Jürgen Knobloch; Travel Med 11(6):374-378, 2004. © 2004 International Society of Travel Medicine)
NB-Nota Bene (my note)
by the way, what made you think there is a malaria outbreak in India -f I didn't get it wrong? But there IS A DENGUE threat in that region; but both malaria and dengue are transported by the mosquitos anyway. so, taking every measure for "not to be beaten" by the mosquitos would help.

wish you a happy and healthy travel.

endurin.

I guess Mr. Camps here is a doctor. Or at least he thinks he is, giving medical
advice to people about a potentially deadly decease.
I find that very very &^$%#!!!

BMW.BEC is absolutely right. Some forms of malaria can kill you before you are
even aware that you have them.
Other forms are un cureable and will course 'flame-ups' for the rest of your
natural life.

Why do we have doctors? Then listen to them!

If you decide not to take any prophylaxis that is fine. But NEVER EVER tell
others to do the same if you are not qualified.

Maarten

ps. Took Lariam for 40 weeks and I am not more screwed up then before that.

__________________
maartensworld.com
beyond-anywhere.com

Firstlly, I am not condoning you risking your health by not taking antimalarial drugs. It is a personal consideration of risk, just like getting on a motorbike, going to distant countries, trusting strangers, hitch-hiking etc etc etc. Then best you can do is inform yourself from the experience of others, and make your own decision.

Going from Greece to India is not particularly malaria-prone. It is said that malaria exists in southern Iran, but I think you'd have to look pretty hard to find it. I worked in the south of India for some time, and half the people working with me (westerners) didn't bother with prophylaxis. Don't think I heard of anyone who knew of any cases of Malaria.

BUT

There is the always the risk . Personally (and embarking on the same trip), I am not taking anything. Lariam and Doxycycline are nasty , toxic chemicals, which are well described above. By taking antimalarials, you're giving your body a small, but significant dose of poison. Inherently, this too has risks, and side effects do not always manifest themselves in the short term. More practically If you're staying in hotels or hostels, you are not as exposed as when you are, say camping. You can buy cheap burning mosquito coils anywhere in India (they will always be the smell of Kerala to me), which are good. Take DEET repellant, and cover up in the evenings.

Make your own decision, it's just another risk you have to think of, like robbery, accidents, terrorism etc.

__________________
4.5 years around Eurasia in a Toyota Hilux|http://eurasiaoverland.wordpress.com/
Pictures Here|https://picasaweb.google.com/113619413612674951960

What actually are the symptons to look out for. And if they show how long has one got to get treatment?

Very good and interesting debate. My travel doc. has recommended that I take Doxy for almost my entire 15 month RTW. I get a few drug breaks in Argentina/Chile and Europe of about a month each, so I won't be on it for more than 3 or 4 months at a time. A person doing an extended trip in a malaria place could CONSIDER drugs for the max time, then take a drug break, then head back on the meds, or switch it up. Less safe than being drugged all the time (or is it???) but safer than no prophylaxis.

I don't have a mossie net, but I'll be getting one when I feel I need it in mainland Mexico.

Always wondered why I couldn't use DEET on clothes. Now I know!

Thanks,
Mitch

PS: Malaria - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I totally agree with Maarten! Who is this Camps to give such risky advice! Malaria kill 2 milion people per year and not only locals !!! It is as with the Indians in South America when the Spaniards arrived 500 years ago!
They had no defence whatsoever agains flu. The same applies for us whities, no defence against malaria. Don't listen to what expats tell you who are on standby. I f you have had malaria before the risk is less because your body knows what it is. Many expats have had malaria but even then standby can be considered as risky! Chances are you think you have a mild flu in stead of Malaria! then you missed your chance of effective treatment.

I have been on Lariam for more than a year and if you are not sensitive for the mental side effects (depressions, anxiaty etc) then Lariam is a wonderfull profilax. Why is it that Lariam can be used for a year and Malarone only for 28 days or maybe 3 months by exception!!

do be stupid, take profilax

cheers,
Noel
exploreafrica.web-log.nl

There is an online magazine about Uganda that has a regular column written by a doctor based in Kampala.If you look in the past issues, (easily retievable from the website), there is an excellent 4 or five part series of articles dealing with Malaria.Well worth a read.
The Magazine address is www.theye.co.ug

Steve