Leaving in just under 4 weeks with the wife and daughters for 6 day hunt and then visit to Vic Falls for a few days.

Previous trips taken in September, I took a malarial prophylactic like Larium or Malarone. Any need for us to take some meds in June?

Always take malaria tablets.

Always!

Agree with Saeed,just don’t take Larium!!!
Malarone or Doxycycline is the go.

A glass of red South African wine helps as well....

quote:

Originally posted by WR500:
Agree with Saeed,just don’t take Larium!!!
Malarone or Doxycycline is the go.

I took Larium for years and years.

Never had any negative effects.

Apparently it affects the the brain.

Luckily I Don’t have any!

Been taking Malarone past few years because of my doctors advice.

Again, no negative effects.

Difference is Malarone is daily.

Larium is weekly.

The Limpopo part depends on which area of Limpopo. With that said we have had good rains this year and the malaria season may very well extend into the winter.
The worst malaria season I saw in the Lowveld was June/July 2020, 2 patients in a bed and 1 underneath.
For Vic Falls I would take malaria prophylaxis anyway.

I use Malarone and always take a antibiotic that will work for Tick Bite Fever. I got TBF on my first Safari to South Africa and it hit me hard. If you get bitten by a tick start the meds ASAP and you will be fine.

Doxy is another option and start taking it two weeks prior to your safari

I take malaria meds every time I go to Africa regardless of the month.

I always take doxycycline. Besides preventing malaria, it will also help prevent tick fever.

I always take and recommend an anti malarial if I'm going anywhere in Africa at anytime of year. It only takes one bite. You don't want adult onset malaria.

Mark

quote:

I always take doxycycline. Besides preventing malaria, it will also help prevent tick fever.

I had two buddies not take an anti-malaria in Limpopo and lost a few hunting days because of the ticks. I also spray my clothes with permethrin.

Got myself and the girls Malarone. Simpler dosing, less side effects for sun sensitivity and other issues. Same stuff I've taken on other trips.

Bringing plenty of tick/bug juice. Wheels up in 2 weeks.

Just to elaborate on what was already mentioned for ticks, there are companies such as Insectshield that will commercially coat your own clothing in permethrin. It's fairly cheap in the grand scheme of things and seems to work well. The spray on stuff doesn't last very long between washes but is still very functional if that is what you opt for. I like the Insectshield way because then I can go for closer to 70 washes of use. I have yet to get a tick while hunting in Africa with my shirts, socks, jackets and pants treated using Insectshield or the Sawyers line of permetrhin spray. Any type of clothing that is water resistant from something like a Teflon spray won't take a permetrhin spray very well at all, so keep that in mind. Just Buy enough spray to use it liberally so you're not trying to stretch it to have enough to do all your hunting clothes that way it does soak in well.

One prescription I never leave for a third world country without is Ciproflaxin... those nasty little bugs that plague foreign food and water don't stand a chance against it. It has saved a couple of trips for me from gastrointestinal issues!

quote:

One prescription I never leave for a third world country without is Ciproflaxin... those nasty little bugs that plague foreign food and water don't stand a chance against it. It has saved a couple of trips for me from gastrointestinal issues!

Sound advice Russ and I never leave home without it!

Doxycycline, if you get tick bit start ASAP and you will be good. Tick bite fever is no fun. Spray all cloths with Permethrin spray before you leave. Have an enjoyable hunt.

a good single Malt cures most ailments