Do you take Malaria Prophylaxis?

[drbill]

Took chloroquin at ship's doctor's strong suggestion while serving in Belize and Honduras. No side effects and no problems. And I used a condom (in response to your last poll response option, Don!).

Doc

 

[Jeanne]

Did you actually hear of any incidence of malaria while you were in Honduras? I'm going next week, have had malaria, don't want it again, but also know that preventives can be almost as bad as the disease.

Jeanne

 

[DandyDon]

Did you actually hear of any incidence of malaria while you were in Honduras? I'm going next week, have had malaria, don't want it again, but also know that preventives can be almost as bad as the disease.

Jeanne

Yes, indeed - even on Roatan. Not enough to keep me from going, but enough to get me to take the relatively harmless once a week pill.

Malria, and the suggested preventatives, vary by areas of the world, and for Central America - the once a week pill is all that's suggested. Taken on a full stomach, I've never know anyone to have a problem.

And I know people who have had malaria. They take the preventatives, too. Guess there's no immunity developed from having it once.

Immunities do occur in Africa - from one recessive Sickle Cell Anemia gene.

Anyway, get the pills ASAP, spray with Deet every time you dry off - after diving, or before leaving the room, and don't get bit by the skeeters or sand bugs.

And have fun... don

 

[miketsp]

Just an alert for those people that think that drinking a lot of gin & tonic is sufficient protection (as did some friends of mine that never left the bar):

In 6 fl oz of tonic water there is approximately 20 mg of quinine.
Recommended dose to treat malaria is 2/3 tablets of 350mg of quinine per day.

So unless you've got a cast iron liver - forget it.