There has been huge investment into the control of malaria worldwide in the last few years. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been a massive drive, and there are many institutions and drug companies all striving to come up with effective vaccines, treatments, and bite avoidance measures to reduce the immense toll to this disease (1 million deaths per year).
We have seen some improvements in deaths from people who live in some malaria endemic areas, but, this is still fragile, and investment and research are still needed. Some vaccines are being developed, but this is all still at very early stages.
Some concern is emerging that the malaria parasite is beginning to become resistant to the current ‘best treatment’ in areas in South East Asia.
There is a World Malaria Day today, 25th April to highlight this issue.
As travelelrs, we must educate ourselves on the malaria risks in our destination, and seek advice to obtain effective malaria prevention medication and bite avoidance measures.
Malaria prophylaxis needs to start before entering a malarial area, and to continue for either 1 week or 1 month after last possible exposure to malaria, depending on which medication has been chosen.
Spraying skin with 40-50% DEET, covering up with clothes treated with Permethrin insecticide, and sleeping either in an air conditioned room, with knockdown spray or plugins, or underneath a treated mosquito net are all essential when visiting malarial regions. Young children, pregnant ladies and anyone who is already chronically unwell or whose immune system does not work well are particularly vulnerable to the disease.
Symptoms will normally start within three months if you have been bitten by a mosquito who has injected a malaria parasite into you. Occasionally it can take up to a year though for symptoms to develop. If you are very unwell with a fever, headache, diarrheoa, shivers, muscle pains plus a number of other symptoms after returning from a malarial area, please get checked out by a doctor, informing them of where you have been.
Some people who have grown up in a malarial country will have been chronically infected and may have developed some natural immunity to malaria. This is at massive cost as a huge number of under 5’s will be killed by malaria. It is really important to note that this natural protection does not persist if you move away, so for anyone returning home to visit a malarial area after some years will be at equal risk to malaria of someone who has never visited that area before.
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Please contact The Travel Clinic Ltd, if you would like more information or to arrange to pick up malaria prevention tablets or sprays, nets or plugins to prevent bites, on 01223 367362 or enquiries@travelclinic.ltd.uk