Malaria and travel
Malaria is a major international public health problem. There is enough statistics to prove the same thing, and in order to protect yourself from it, all that is required is common sense and an understanding of how the disease spreads.
To summarize, malaria is caused by a parasitic microorganism called Plasmodium. Since there are four different types of plasmodium that infect humans, this means that there are four different types of malaria. There are a few less common species, but are of limited health significance.
These parasites are transmitted by the Anopheles mosquito. It is important to understand that only Anopheles can transmit malaria. If you are visiting an area that is endemic or wild with dengue fever, it would be useless and not to mention toxic to drink anti-malaria, because dengue is transmitted by a completely different mosquito - the Aedes species. Of course, standard mosquito repellent measures should be taken as usual, since other mosquitoes can transmit many other diseases.
The standard approach to solving this problem is traditionally described as ABCD.
A - awareness
B - bite protection
C - chemoprophylaxis
D - diagnosis and treatment in case of infection
awareness
This means familiarizing yourself with the area to be visited ... if there are mosquitoes, what type of mosquitoes, which diseases are endemic, samples of drug resistance, etc. This information is constantly updated, and since it needs to be reviewed frequently.
Unnecessary panic is also unfounded - in many cases there are mosquitoes, but there can be no active malaria. Follow local news and health reports to find out.
Although many may hold the opinion that it is safer to take medications in advance, it can sometimes be superfluous.
Medications - and in many cases high, must begin a week before and must be continued for 2 weeks after returning from the area. This leads to a rather long period of taking antimalarial drugs. On the other hand, in rare cases with malaria, treatment regimens usually last for several days. So there are pros and cons anyway. This is an individual decision, and there will always be arguments for it.
Bite protection
Anopheles mosquitoes usually have nightly feeding habits. Here it is wise to take maximum precautions during the evening and night. However, it should be borne in mind that other mosquitoes that are involved in the spread of disease, such as dengue fever, are also day-time wastes.
Wearing clothes that cover the arms and legs properly, as well as the use of repellent in open areas, usually works well - and in many cases eliminates the need for medication. While sleeping it is wise to use mosquito nets - those that are soaked with repellents, work even better.
A lot of insect repellents work, but DEET is the most effective. Different formulations are available in varying concentrations, and how often repeated use is required depends on the manufacturer.
The use of electronic repellents that vaporize liquid insecticide formulations is reliable.
They can be fancy hardware parts, but most ultrasonic frequency emitters have proven ineffective in repelling mosquitoes.
Local practices for the preservation of marauding insects are often most effective.
chemoprophylaxis
This reflects the widespread practice of taking antimalarial drugs before, during and after the expected period of exposure to mosquitoes. The idea is that it takes care of any parasites that may be in the blood as a result of a bite.
For the most part, all conventional drugs are well tolerated, but side effects may occur. Basically they are more uncomfortable than frankly debilitating; however, in the case of serious reactions, needless to say, medical assistance is needed.
Drug regimens are widely divided into 2 types:
1. Areas resistant to chloroquine, where the parasite is no longer sensitive to chloroquine. This applies to most areas. If not completely blown up, there is at least a moderate level of resistance. In such cases, standard drugs are Mefloquine, Doxycycline and Malarone (Atovaquone + Proguanil).
2. Chloroquine reactive areas ... they are quite rare in number. Chloroquine is strictly prescribed separately, it is mainly given along with Proguanil.
A detailed review of dosages and side effects of antimalarial drugs, as well as special circumstances such as pregnancy, is beyond the scope of this article.
Diagnosis and treatment
Despite all the scenarios, sometimes mosquitoes could find a slot in repellent armor. If nothing else, they have a clean number on their side.
The good news is that malaria is very treatable. If there are no medical facilities nearby, it is advisable to prepare emergency medicines. Advise your doctor in advance to understand the symptoms of malaria and what to do if you succeed, which is a good idea.
