Nissan Patrol 4x4 (Africa)

Needed?

I have to date never taken anything for Malaria, is it REALLY necessary for Bots?

offroadbiker wrote:Needed?

I have to date never taken anything for Malaria, is it REALLY necessary for Bots?

Dirk,

Depends where you are going. The South is generally regarded as low risk and I tend to skip them there.

But, ff you're heading up anywhere from central to Northern Bots, I'd highly recommend them. I believe central to North is generally regarded as a high risk area year-round. But worse in the rainy season.

Just my thoughts.

Ian

Guess I will be in those areas..

Khama Rhino-Kubu-Planet Boabab-Maun-Savuti-Linyati-Kasane-Nata.

Will try the pharmacist to see if I can get a hold of Doxycycline as it seems to have the "least" side effects and don't cost an arm and a leg

This is my opinion and not meant to force anyone into doing anything other than what a qualified medical doctor prescribes !!

Malaria tablets do NOT prevent Malaria, they purely make it easier to treat the infection should you get infected.

I am a firm believer in not taking Malaria tablets. The reason why is that a "Malaria tablet" is basically an Antibiotic (for example Doxycycline ). Very basically, the purpose for or way an antibiotic works is that it prevents the secondary infection, allowing the body to fight the original infection. This is brilliant and will make recovery from Malaria a lot quicker and easier than without. However, in my opinion, Malaria is an evil illness. Lets say you get bitten by a Malaria infected mozzie ( not a Mozambican....hahaha), can show itself anywhere from a few days to 2 odd weeks from the time you get bitten to the time you start feeling ill. Again, in my opinion these are the two paths one can follow...

Option 1

If you don't take any forms of "Malaria tablets", and you do land up getting infected with Malaria by a mozzie, there will be a "gestation" period that can vary, but there seems to be a pattern of about 2 weeks after getting bitten. So you are now home after a great trip, and you are feeling 100%. All of a sudden you wake up one morning and you feel flu like symptoms. First step, get showered and dressed and go IMMEDIATELY to the Doctor and tell him that you have been in a Malaria area, and that they must please do both the electronic and visual test on your blood ( apparently some strains of Malaria don't get picked up by the electronic test.... technology may have changed since I got this information, but why take the chance).
So on the first day of feeling ill you have taken preventative measures and started treatment. I have previously bought over the counter ( in Mozambique ) a 3 day course of medication that a late friend of mine used a few times when got Malaria while he ran a diving business in Inhambane. I can't recall the name offhand. Anyway, On day one you are already starting treatment. Day two you are going to feel terrible. Day 3 you are going to feel like death warmed up. Day 4 you should start feeling better, and by day 5 you are back up and running around as if nothing happened.

Option 2

If you have been taking Malaria Tablets, then your body has already packed itself full of what antibiotics do best. So lets say 2 weeks after you get back home, the infection starts taking effect, however due to the Malaria tablets, your body will not feel as bad. You may just write it off to "my sinuses are a bit blocked after a heavy night of partying". In other words your 1st day symptoms will not be as bad as in option 1. By day 2 you may feel a bit rough, and hopefully you go to the Doctor. By day 3 you should then know that you have something bad and will probably go through to the Doctor. Due to you having taken Malaria tablets, you may forget to mention that you have been in a Malaria area, and the Doctor will treat you for flu as this is the symptoms you are going to describe to him. Hopefully you do mention to him that you were in a Malaria area. The Doctor can now start treating you however you are already 3 days into it, as the symptoms have been masked by the antibiotic. In my opinion that's at least 2 days too late considering Malaria is a killer.

Again this is my opinion and is not meant to influence you. I am not a Doctor !!

I suppose there is not really scuba diving opportunities in Bots......hahaha.... but that was why I did a bit of research on this subject as I don't like diving with medication down to 40m at all.

Cedric,

I hear you regarding the anti-malarials. It is a fairly subjective matter, and everyone seems to have differing opinions.

I personally recommend taking anti-malarials - especially after almost losing a very good friend of mine as a result of a very, very, very bad bout of cerebral malaria a year or two ago. He was of the opinion not to take prophylaxis, but it did not make such a difference in his case. Even his doctors were surprised that he pulled through in the end.

Dirk,

FWIW, the areas you mention are considered high risk. I believe there has been quite a lot of rain there recently (despite it not being the rainy season), so it is probably higher risk than normal for this time of the year.

Those are the facts. The choice regarding the anti-malarials is up to you. If concerned, chat with a travel clinic about it.

I'm not telling anyone what to do. Just my comments on the matter.

I agree 100% with what Ian is saying. I also had a mate nearly not make it from that same strain of Malaria, and I believe that the "normal prophylaxis" available will not do much in assisting in this specific strain.

Having said that.... PREVENTION.... PREVENTION.... PREVENTION.... PREVENTION.....
This is the BEST course of action. Shower just before sunset. Mozzies are attracted to the smell of sweat and carbon dioxide. Wear long pants ( one can get light cotton pants (or light tracksuit pants). Wear long sleeve shirts. Wear socks and if you want to look a little German.... wear socks with Croc's....hahaha.

We mix up a blend of Aqueous cream with Citronella oil and apply this around the neck, wrists and ankle/shins. Yeah you smell like a lemon, but life is a lemon.

Keep lighting to a minimum, especially when entering a tent. Citronella impregnated Mozzie nets are also very good to have even inside a tent as a secondary barrier. A gentle breeze is also a huge bonus. Mozzies don't fly too well in wind, so try keep the tent and living area slightly exposed to any wind.

I personally hate loath and detest the smell of products like Peaceful Sleep, but I will spray around inside the tent about 20mins before I go in for the night.

This post should have the same red warning as Cedric's, but i don't know how to do it.

This is my opinion and not meant to force anyone into doing anything other than what a qualified medical doctor prescribes !!

My feeling is, we are talking about August here. If it was December, it would be a different story, but i don't know anyone who has gotten malaria in winter.

Then I am NOT going to do the tablet thing, I hate taking any medicine of any sorts so will try and go the prevention of getting bitten route.

Lots of bug spray and wash the clothes and bedding in that mozie stuff, long pants and shirts come dawn

And if you have the slightest bit of flue or fever go do a blood test

that is the plan - tx