Malaria Tablets

Frederick Adams · Mar 28th, 2007, 05:05

I have looked on various health organisation sites and they all have different opinions. My chemist said I dont need malaria tablets. I am going to Delhi, Agra and Jaipur and dont know what to do. Delhi and Agra seem a low risk but on the one site it says Jaipur is a medium risk and you need chloroquine/proquanil. Any ideas.

SteamBuff · Mar 28th, 2007, 05:11

Go and speak to your Doctor or Travel Clinic for the latest advice.

They will also ensure all your vaccinations are upto date as well.

goangoangone · Mar 28th, 2007, 08:24

The US recommend Doxycycline as they don't think C&P is effective any longer.

Nick-H · Mar 28th, 2007, 12:07

In Europe the trend seems to be towards recommending bite avoidance (which is impossible) and early diagnosis/treatment rather than prophylaxis.

Just the impression I've gained from the many other threads here on the subject. Suggest you browse them too!

There are no definitive answers, it seams: just advice and recommendations.

goangoangone · Mar 28th, 2007, 13:48

Your chemist is wrong. Why take the risk? It only takes one bite. Once you've got malaria, you will always get recurring symptoms. Buy doxy out here, it's cheap!

http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/...0s1/index.html

Nick-H · Mar 28th, 2007, 14:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by goangoangone

... ... ...Once you've got malaria, you will always get recurring symptoms. ... ... ...

That's what I always thought --- and said until very recently.

But I think that the disease can now be eradicated from the body, which is probably the major factor in taking the emphasis of prophylaxis.

There was a European or British Document in a link given recently by Shaktipalooza --- I'll try to find it...

later... ...It's Here --- I haven't read it all yet, but it seems the most informative source on Malaria I've seen

cyberhippie · Mar 28th, 2007, 15:01

Yep remnants of the parasite used to reside in the liver, (I think), causing reoccurring symptoms. This was limited to particular strains,( Plasmodium vivax and P. ovale, ) so not all Malarial infections were subject to this!

However from what I have read on the subject, this is no longer the case if treated properly (and promptly) the parasite is completely eradicated!!

GGG I think it's down to licensing that the C & P combination isn't used stateside not because it's thought to be ineffective!

From the CDC website

Quote:

If I get malaria, will I have it for the rest of my life?
No, not necessarily. Malaria can be treated. If the right drugs are used, people who have malaria can be cured and all the malaria parasites can be eliminated. However, the disease can persist if it is left untreated or if it is treated with the wrong drug. Some drugs are ineffective because the parasite is resistant to them. Some patients may be treated with the right drug, but at the wrong dose or for too short a period of time.

Two types (species) of parasites, Plasmodium vivax and P. ovale, have dormant liver stages that can remain silent for years. Left untreated, these liver stages may reactivate and cause malaria attacks ("relapses") after months or years without symptoms. Patients diagnosed with P. vivax or P. ovale are often given a second drug to help prevent these relapses. Another type (species), P. malariae, if left untreated, has been known to persist in the blood of some persons for several decades.

But in general, if you are correctly treated for malaria, the parasites are eliminated and you are no longer infected with malaria.

ba9rn · Mar 28th, 2007, 15:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick-H

There was a European or British Document in a link given recently by Shaktipalooza --- I'll try to find it...

This one?

Frederick Adams · Mar 28th, 2007, 15:37

Thanks for your advise, it appears favourable to take them from what everyone is saying. I am annoyed with the pharmasist when I checked about a month ago saying that we didnt need them and there is now less than a week before we go. As you say better to take the precautions than get malaria. We have always been very careful with injections and tablets previously and you take the advice of the professionals, but when I started visiting sites there were more saying to take tablets than not.

cyberhippie · Mar 28th, 2007, 15:41

Don't get too annoyed with your chemist!! There's change afoot, in terms of how we protect ourselves against Malaria!! It appears that some government bodies are now recommending a regime of not getting bitten.

There doesn't seem to be across the board agreement on this worldwide but I'm sure it's these new guidelines that your chemist was following!

Nick-H · Mar 28th, 2007, 15:44

CH and Ba9rn... Yes, and yes!

CH, while you were finding that (thanks) I got this one from the HPA doc in ba9rn's link:

Quote:

Fallacies...
... ... ...
“Once you get malaria it keeps
coming back”
Hypnozoite-induced relapses occur in
vivax and ovale malaria, but can be
treated successfully and further relapses
prevented. If the patient has received a
full course of treatment with modern
antimalarial drugs and has not been re-
exposed to malaria, it is extremely
unlikely that a history of recurrent febrile
illness over a number of years is the
result of chronic malaria.

goangoangone · Mar 28th, 2007, 22:58

Don't get bitten.

Hope I never hear a doctor say that!

cyberhippie · Mar 28th, 2007, 23:33

Quote:

Don't get bitten. Hope I never hear a doctor say that!

The whole thing concerns me too GGG, it seems to fly in the face of other info out there but they are SUPPOSED to be the experts!!
They do concede that Goa is a hot spot though!!

ba9rn · Mar 28th, 2007, 23:48

Maybe one day GM will remove the need for this debate... From recent BBC News

Traveladdict · Mar 29th, 2007, 15:55

Hi Frederick,

I have a reply for you which I posted a few weeks back. Go to the link at the bottom.
I have just returned last week from completing the golden triangle visiting all the cities you have stated.

As per my advice in my original post I did not take tablets as advice in UK now is that the areas you are visiting are low risk. Bite avoidance and malaria symptoms recognition is now the advice given. After taking advice I decided not to take tabs, but was still very careful with bite avoidance.

I used DEET repellant everyday, as well as wearing DEET wristbands 24 hrs, I used a knock down insecticide in the evenings in my room, and also a plug in electric mosquito repellant.

Now bear in mind that I actually stayed in very good hotels along the trip, with Aircon (which mossies dislike) so I was over cautious. My reward though for all this effort in bite avoidance was that I never got bitten once, and I was outside at dawn and dusk.

the choice is yours....goto the link below and enjoy yuor trip, I thoroughly enjoyed mine...Taj Mahal at dawn is awesome!

malaria protection

Mar 28th, 2007, 05:05	#1
Frederick Adams Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: England, UK Posts: 14	Malaria Tablets I have looked on various health organisation sites and they all have different opinions. My chemist said I dont need malaria tablets. I am going to Delhi, Agra and Jaipur and dont know what to do. Delhi and Agra seem a low risk but on the one site it says Jaipur is a medium risk and you need chloroquine/proquanil. Any ideas.

Mar 28th, 2007, 08:24	#3
goangoangone Monsoon Loon Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Goa Posts: 1,535	The US recommend Doxycycline as they don't think C&P is effective any longer. __________________ GoanGoan......here Last edited by goangoangone : Mar 28th, 2007 at 13:45.

Mar 28th, 2007, 12:07	#4
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 27,692	In Europe the trend seems to be towards recommending bite avoidance (which is impossible) and early diagnosis/treatment rather than prophylaxis. Just the impression I've gained from the many other threads here on the subject. Suggest you browse them too! There are no definitive answers, it seams: just advice and recommendations. __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Mar 28th, 2007, 15:37	#9
Frederick Adams Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: England, UK Posts: 14	Malaria Tablets Thanks for your advise, it appears favourable to take them from what everyone is saying. I am annoyed with the pharmasist when I checked about a month ago saying that we didnt need them and there is now less than a week before we go. As you say better to take the precautions than get malaria. We have always been very careful with injections and tablets previously and you take the advice of the professionals, but when I started visiting sites there were more saying to take tablets than not.

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Mar 28th, 2007, 05:11	#2
SteamBuff Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Essex, Endland Posts: 370	Go and speak to your Doctor or Travel Clinic for the latest advice. They will also ensure all your vaccinations are upto date as well.

Mar 28th, 2007, 13:48	#5
goangoangone Monsoon Loon Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Goa Posts: 1,535	Your chemist is wrong. Why take the risk? It only takes one bite. Once you've got malaria, you will always get recurring symptoms. Buy doxy out here, it's cheap! http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/...0s1/index.html

Mar 28th, 2007, 15:41	#10
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,012	Don't get too annoyed with your chemist!! There's change afoot, in terms of how we protect ourselves against Malaria!! It appears that some government bodies are now recommending a regime of not getting bitten. There doesn't seem to be across the board agreement on this worldwide but I'm sure it's these new guidelines that your chemist was following!

Mar 28th, 2007, 22:58	#12
goangoangone Monsoon Loon Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Goa Posts: 1,535	Don't get bitten. Hope I never hear a doctor say that!

Mar 28th, 2007, 23:48	#14
ba9rn Macha Doabout Nothing Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Pompey fan in exile Posts: 578	Maybe one day GM will remove the need for this debate... From recent BBC News

Mar 29th, 2007, 15:55	#15
Traveladdict Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: England Posts: 12	Hi Frederick, I have a reply for you which I posted a few weeks back. Go to the link at the bottom. I have just returned last week from completing the golden triangle visiting all the cities you have stated. As per my advice in my original post I did not take tablets as advice in UK now is that the areas you are visiting are low risk. Bite avoidance and malaria symptoms recognition is now the advice given. After taking advice I decided not to take tabs, but was still very careful with bite avoidance. I used DEET repellant everyday, as well as wearing DEET wristbands 24 hrs, I used a knock down insecticide in the evenings in my room, and also a plug in electric mosquito repellant. Now bear in mind that I actually stayed in very good hotels along the trip, with Aircon (which mossies dislike) so I was over cautious. My reward though for all this effort in bite avoidance was that I never got bitten once, and I was outside at dawn and dusk. the choice is yours....goto the link below and enjoy yuor trip, I thoroughly enjoyed mine...Taj Mahal at dawn is awesome! malaria protection

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