A Poll on Taking Tablets for Malaria

eater

I have been to India twice (in the past 10 years) for two months at a time and have taken anti-malaria tablets both the times.

You are a frequent (more than once) visitor to India for one to three months, and you plan to stay in Mumbai or one of the large cities (Chennai, Kolkata).

You have not had malaria ever.

Next time you go to India and plan to stay for six months or more in one of the larger cities, Would you take anti-malaria tablets for six months of your stay?
1) Yes
2) No

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guerik

Depends which city it was I suppose, and if I was planning on taking many trips to malaria affected areas.

If I was going to Delhi for the "winter" season I probably wouldn't bother, if it was somewhere down South I'd take instructions from my doctor. Even if they're paranoid, I'd rather take some tablets than get malaria.

GoanCanuck

For an extended stay you are better off not taking malaria tablets. Millions of Indians go about their daily life not taking any malaria tablets and I don't see why you should have to. Your chances of getting killed by a road accident in India are much higher than getting a bout of malaria.

guerik

I'm very careful about crossing the street in India, also

machadinha

If I may and this also goes for option #4 above:

None of these factors have any bearing on your chances of getting malaria or not. The idea especially that big cities are necessarily safer is untrue; with constant migration to the cities and the masses of people the risk of contagion can be just as great.

The only relevant point seems that most antimalarials cannot be taken for longer than a period of X months.

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edwardseco

Kind of a weird poll since none of the pills is rated for more than 6 months though that is less stringent for Malarone assuming your budget holds out..

MeCasa

What's the side effects of these pills and is malaria mostly a southern problem?

By southern , I'm really asking if malaria s a problem in the Himilayas?

Sama

MeCasa, you can do a search for "malaria" threads, there are tons regarding side effects, etc. but check out the CDC website and you'll get lots of info about malaria in India. Above a certain altitude, malaria is not a problem. However, I leave for Chennai next Friday and will start my malaria med next Wednesday.

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wonderwomanusa

Many Indian people get malaria each year.

I lost a friend to malaria many years ago and wouldn't want my loved ones to lose ME that way!

Your mileage obviously varies, and that's fine for you.

machadinha

MeCasa probably best to consult a nearby tropical health clinic, not a luxury with your plans anyway.

eater

Quote:

Originally Posted by machadinha The only relevant point seems that most antimalarials cannot be taken for longer than a period of X months.

Also Goancanuck:Millions of Indians go about their daily life not taking any malaria tablets and I don't see why you should have to.

I just feel that from these above comments and from other hearsay evidence (peoples personal experiences) that the recommendations on anti-malaria tabs could do with a review or at the least some more quality of evidence research......

....maybe someone out there knows more?

.....Is there such a thing as immunity? or acquired resistance after staying in the area a year or so? It would be nice to know this.

machadinha

If I say there isn't the next person will say there is. As far as I know you only build up resistance (never immunity) by being infected and surviving it. Which not everyone does. Even then some people (nationals) contract the disease repeatedly and others never do.

I looked up some studies on malaria in India by WHO here, linked to by a good travel health site Yogagal provided some time ago here, and it would seem to suggest that malaria in Haryana for instance is far from uncommon but has a far less fatal pattern. I can only assume this has to do with more readily-available medical services, there's little reason to assume there's a less fatal strain there right.

Anyway these threads tend to go on forever and I assume this one will as well. I'm not an antimalarial taker myself btw but that tells you little about what I'd do on a next trip (I don't know) nor about my sensibility and anyway the disease's seriousness and potential fatality should not be downplayed. Consult your local tropical health medic is the best advice, then make an informed decision.

eater

Looks like the Indian residents do develope resistance/immunity over time:

http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/cdcactivi...methodscontrol

"Scientists have been trying to develop an effective malaria vaccine for over 50 years and, thus, it is valid to ask if this quest is possible. Many scientists at CDC and around the world think that it is possible. People living in endemic areas who are repeatedly exposed to malaria, develop a functional immunity that controls the parasites in their blood, and that also protects them from severe disease.......... human clinical trials have shown that immunization with attenuated (weakened) parasites does stimulate an immunity that protects against a subsequent challenge of fully virulent and viable parasites.

machadinha

Yes, but as far as I know never 100% and the various malaria strains keep evolving all the time in reaction to medication, which is one of the reasons why they're so hard to combat. As a short-term expat your chances of developing resistance would be slim and the risk of not succeeding could be death.

I understand if you don't want to take the medication but then guard yourself against mosquito bites, don't rely on developing some unlikely immunity.

eater

Quote:

Originally Posted by machadinha I'm not an antimalarial taker myself btw but that tells you little about what I'd do on a next trip (I don't know) nor about my sensibility and anyway the disease's seriousness and potential fatality should not be downplayed. Consult your local tropical health medic is the best advice.

I agree with you entirely...on a forum such as this the best advice is consult your physician and remember that malaria is a serious disease.