Malaria in Visayas/Coron

[britishseapowerman]

Hi,

I'm headed over to Philippines late august/early September - a 3.5 week visit in total. Just wondering if anyone else has done a similar trip and what precautions they took with malaria. I would much rather avoid taking lots of anti malarials - especially if i get there and there are not many mosquitos about etc.

Thanks in advance

(also thanks to everyone who advised me on my last thread about where to dive at this time - I decided to book the first half in the visayas then book the second half when I get there and know what the weather is like)

 

[Bowmouth]

especially if i get there and there are not many mosquitos about etc.

Malaria

Areas of the Philippines with Malaria: Present in rural areas <600 m (<1,969 ft) on islands of Luzon, Palawan, and Mindanao. None in urban areas.

If you will be visiting an area of the Philippines with malaria, you will need to discuss with your doctor the best ways for you to avoid getting sick with malaria. Ways to prevent malaria include the following:

Taking a prescription antimalarial drug
Using insect repellent and wearing long pants and sleeves to prevent mosquito bites
Sleeping in air-conditioned or well-screened rooms or using bednets
All of the following antimalarial drugs are equal options for preventing malaria in the Philippines: Atovaquone/proguanil, doxycycline, or mefloquine. For detailed information about each of these drugs, see Table 2-23: Drugs used in the prophylaxis of malaria. For information that can help you and your doctor decide which of these drugs would be best for you, please see Choosing a Drug to Prevent Malaria.

Note: Chloroquine is NOT an effective antimalarial drug in the Philippines and should not be taken to prevent malaria in this region.

To find out more information on malaria throughout the world, you can use the interactive CDC malaria map. You can search or browse countries, cities, and place names for more specific malaria risk information and the recommended prevention medicines for that area.


Malaria Contact for Health-Care Providers
For assistance with the diagnosis or management of suspected cases of malaria, call the CDC Malaria Hotline: 770-488-7788 (M-F, 9 am-5 pm, Eastern time). For emergency consultation after hours, call 770-488-7100 and ask to speak with a CDC Malaria Branch clinician.

A Special Note about Antimalarial Drugs

You should purchase your antimalarial drugs before travel. Drugs purchased overseas may not be manufactured according to United States standards and may not be effective. They also may be dangerous, contain counterfeit medications or contaminants, or be combinations of drugs that are not safe to use.

Halofantrine (marketed as Halfan) is widely used overseas to treat malaria. CDC recommends that you do NOT use halofantrine because of serious heart-related side effects, including deaths. You should avoid using antimalarial drugs that are not recommended unless you have been diagnosed with life-threatening malaria and no other options are immediately available.

 

[Kevrumbo]

You should be just as vigilant about Dengue Fever, a virus spread via mosquito vector present in both urban and rural areas, and with no current vaccine or drug prophylaxis that you can take beforehand like anti-malarials. Only clothing, mosquito repellent, and netting can help reduce potential exposure to mosquitoes carrying the dengue virus.