Very interesting, thanks Saeed.

Malaria Information
The risk of contracting malaria is often a concern when visiting the Kruger National Park. The Kruger is one of the two South African National Parks that are situated in malaria risk areas. The other park is Mapungubwe National Park. It is important to note that the risk of malaria in both of these parks is usually low, even in the summer months.
Malaria is mosquito borne disease transmitted exclusively through the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito. The highest risk period is between November and April - the end of the summer rainy season. Following the bite of an infected mosquito, an individual may remain asymptomatic for 12 – 35 days, depending on the species of malaria. This is known as the incubation period.
Malaria should be suspected in patients with any unexplained fever after visiting an area where malaria is endemic. The symptoms of malaria include:
 Fever
 Chills
 Sweating
 Headaches
 Body aches
 Tiredness
 Stomach problems – These can include:
o Loss of appetite
o Nausea and vomiting o Belly pain
o Diarrhoea
 Skin that looks yellow – This is called “jaundice.”
 Cough
 Fast heart rate or breathing
When malaria becomes severe, it can cause symptoms such as:
 Confusion
 Hallucinations
 Seizures
 Dark or bloody urine
Most types of mosquito that are encountered will not carry the malaria parasite and if an individual is bitten it does not mean that they will contract malaria.
The risk of malaria can be reduced by preventing mosquito bites. Mosquitoes most often bite between dusk and dawn. People are advised to stay indoors during this period, or cover exposed skin with light clothing or insect repellents. Remember to spray one’s ankles. Burning anti-mosquito coils and ensuring netted screens are kept closed will significantly reduce your risk for contracting insect bites. All of the accommodation available in Kruger is fitted with netted screens.
Malaria prophylactic drugs can be taken that will further decrease the chances of contracting malaria. It is a difficult decision whether or not to take malaria prophylactics when visiting the Kruger National Park. The risk of contracting malaria needs to be weighed up against the side effects of the malaria prophylactic medication, and all the drugs available have various side effects. The choice of the appropriate drug that an individual should use is a decision that should be made in consultation with a medical doctor. There are three types of malaria prophylactic medications available for the strains of malaria occurring in South Africa, namely Doxycycline, Atovaquone/Proguanil and Mefloquine.
It is also important to know that taking malaria prophylaxis does not guarantee that an individual will not contract malaria, it decreases the risk of contracting the disease. Malaria should be excluded in anyone who presents with unexplained fever within 12 to 35 days after entering a malaria area. A blood test is the most accurate, although rapid tests are available that are also very accurate.
The risk of malaria in Kruger is low but it is something that one needs to be aware of. Many visitors prefer not to take any chemoprophylaxis and instead concentrate on preventing any mosquito bites from occurring. This is not an irresponsible decision when considering that the risk of malaria is low and that that the malaria prophylactic medication may have harmful side effects. Whether a visitor decides to use malaria prophylactic medications or not, preventative measures are essential and it is the visitor’s responsibility to be aware of the symptoms of malaria and seek medical help immediately if the symptoms occur.
If a visitor falls into the high risk patient group such as young children (0 to 36 months), pregnant women and people of old age, they are encouraged to seek medical advice to decide whether chemoprophylaxis is indicated or not. It is important to note that malaria is treatable at any age, although the chances of complication are higher in individuals who fall in the high risk category. Malaria prophylactic drugs are available for use in children.

SAME APPLIES TO ENTIRE LIMPOPO AND MPUMALANGA PROVINCE!

Have been living there for years, close to Zimbabwe and Kruger National Park. None of the residents take malaria prophylactic drugs. Very seldom did I hear of a malaria case. Just protect yourself properly, that's all. Whenever I travel, also to Zimbabwe, I take an ECOMIST dispenser along https://www.ecomist.com.au/sho...spenser-starter-pack.

Before moving into a room, rondavel, chalet I shut all windows and switch on the dispenser. After ten minutes I'm safe. When outside I use a moskito stick like TABARD. That's what I do - can't remember when I got bitten the last time.

Always travel with at least one full course of Doxycycline. Good for Malaria, spider bites, scorpion stings, and a host of other unforeseen encounters.

Used to buy the five pack malaria test kits when I worked in Tanzania.

First sign of anyone being sick put on the gloves and do a test.

Took doxy, good for tick fever too, and others as previously mentioned.

Tried Latium when working in Borneo, never again. I am just thankful I didn’t have a gun there

quote:

Originally posted by Rockdoc:
Used to buy the five pack malaria test kits when I worked in Tanzania.

First sign of anyone being sick put on the gloves and do a test.

Took doxy, good for tick fever too, and others as previously mentioned.

Tried Latium when working in Borneo, never again. I am just thankful I didn’t have a gun there

Goes to prove you have brains!

I took Lariam for so many years, never any side effect at all.

My doctor said “goes to prove what I have been telling you for years! Nothing between your ears!”

Don't know what malaria is since I last had it 41 years ago.

I don't take prophylactics and never had a recurrence as do some people who have had it.

All I know is when I got it 41 years ago I ended up in a coma which lasted 5 days and almost croaked.

There were no other drugs except the traditional quinine and I was apparently given doses fit for a horse since my chances of survival had been penned at 50/50 so there was really nothing to lose.

I survived and am somehow convinced that the massive dosing of quinine may have something to do with what I claim to having been "immunized" against this volatile parasite even though I religiously carry a malaria test kit and Coartem pack which invariably gets used on others.

Yes, only the female mosquito bites. The males are only around for sex.

quote:

Originally posted by 376 steyr:
Yes, only the female mosquito bites. The males are only around for sex.

Typical!

Even in our species the females are the nasty ones!

Just read something on a pharmacy website. Quinine makes you more sensitive to sunlight causing more severe sunburns. Who knew?

quote:

Originally posted by 376 steyr:
Just read something on a pharmacy website. Quinine makes you more sensitive to sunlight causing more severe sunburns. Who knew?

I knew the doxy did, but hmmm....

Maybe that’s why all the double terais and spine pads came about...

The co-arinate and coartem treatments mentioned by fulvio work very well. I understand that these drugs aren't available in the US, and I was always advised to take some home with me to the States just in case malaria manifested after getting home.

The one time that I got malaria during my appy work in Zambia, we were in a fly camp hunting for sitatunga along the Kafue River, and my meds were back in the main camp. Fortunately, we were able to go across the river and get co-artem from Andrew Baldry, and I was back on my feet quickly and good as new in a week. Oddly enough, I have a good idea of where my malaria came from, as there's not a lot of it in that part of the Kafue region. I had hunted buffalo in the Nkala GMA to the south the month before, and a visiting PH and his staff came in, with half of them fighting through the tail end of malaria they had contracted while on another safari in the Luangwa. I recall one buffalo stalk in particular when we were all bitten repeatedly by mosquitoes. I'm convinced that one of them bit the visiting PH or one of his trackers and then me, but I suppose the mosquitoes also could have already had malaria in them from the nearby village. I still remember swatting a big, blood-filled mosquito on my leg and thinking, "Sh!t, I'm going to get malaria." And sure enough, I did.

FWIW - Coartem is available in the US and is an approved treatment, but it is subsidized by Novartis in Africa so it is much cheaper to obtain there... like many drugs.

I buy 100 pill batches of Doxy in Namibia for pennies per pill. The last time I sourced it in the US it was $60 for 20 100mg pills. The US consumer (aka insurance companies) pays for everyone else's drugs. Little wonder why our medical costs are so freaking expensive.

Thanks for that update--very helpful. It looks like it was FDA approved in 2009. When I mentioned it to a travel clinic back in 2010, I was met with a blank stare.

quote:

Originally posted by 376 steyr:
Just read something on a pharmacy website. Quinine makes you more sensitive to sunlight causing more severe sunburns. Who knew?

Back in the heyday it was said that excessive use of malaria prophylactics, the most common and effective one at the time being quinine tablets would have adverse effects on one's hearing and eyesight.

It was suggested by doctors that by alternating these weekly doses between quinine to Daraprim every 6 months, one would not become a victim of these side effects and quite honestly never heard of anyone being afflicted.

I had a horrible reaction to Malarone, which I would categorize as severe. I haven't been back to Africa since but I'm wary of any anti-malarial now. I'll have to contend with this when I return, weighing the risk of malaria with the risk of a severe reaction to an anti-malarial.

quote:

Originally posted by Overland:
I had a horrible reaction to Malarone, which I would categorize as severe. I haven't been back to Africa since but I'm wary of any anti-malarial now. I'll have to contend with this when I return, weighing the risk of malaria with the risk of a severe reaction to an anti-malarial.

Just curious what type of reaction? Physical, emotional? Have heard of rare cases of both. I have had vivid dreams for most of my life, and while taking malarone they may have been more vivid. I say “may” because I slept like absolute crap while in Africa, mostly due to overheating in the soft-topped beds, no A/C or fans... At home I have experienced the same due to overheating and not sleeping well - almost like fever dreams. I changed my dosing to very early in the morning vs lunch and it seemed to have helped - but could have been a plecebo effect. As I stopped taking malarone at home i perceived no real difference but of course slept as normal. Hard to nail thing down due to so many factors.

This is an old article about lariam. Spooky.

Hopefully you will be able to follow the link. NY Times let’s you read a few articles without an account, then sign up for ten freebies a month.
I have used Lariam in the past without issue, but will not use it again.
https://www.nytimes.com/2013/0...ail&auth=login-email

Since the 1970's millions of doses of Mefloquine have been distributed. The scary stories and even criminal defense claims associated with it's use do not pass the statistical laugh model. Yes, you can experience some graphic dreams (which some, myself included, consider a bonus) however, there is no question that it still remains one of the best malaria prophylaxis and treatment choices and is still one of the most widely used in the world.

I would not dismiss it outright based on a few hysteria stories. Now Ambien on the other hand...

quote:

Originally posted by Marty:
This is an old article about lariam. Spooky.

Hopefully you will be able to follow the link. NY Times let’s you read a few articles without an account, then sign up for ten freebies a month.
I have used Lariam in the past without issue, but will not use it again.
https://www.nytimes.com/2013/0...ail&auth=login-email

Last I heard was there is a class action by families of US military who took Latium and had bad effects. The Australian Army trialed Larium but cut the trial short due to side effects.

I was in Borneo working out of a helicopter into the jungle and stopped taking it. Would rather have had malaria. If I had had a gun whilst in that chopper I would have shot everybody, including the pilot. That is how severe my reaction was. I am not normally like that I have read reports of US military being sent stateside to be discharged due to abnormal behaviour, only to revert to normal when off the Larium, one was a Doctor in Afghanistan.

I settled on doxycycline due to low side effects, cost and availability, it’s cheap in Africa, and it helps with infection , tick fever etc. No side effects, like sun sensitivity for me.

Please forget doxicyclin, it'a a minor drug. Have a look at something undiscutable, knowibg that resistance is a serious issue in Asia, not so in Africa https://apps.who.int/iris/bits...8_eng.pdf?sequence=1

Seems there is another mosquito-borne illness that sickens folks in South Africa during the wet season -- chikungunya?
This one is spread by Aedes aegypti -- the one that can also spread Zika.

I tolerated malarone just fine after having the wits scared out of me regarding larium -- thanks to this fine forum more than 12 years ago.

Banning DDT and Chlordane has killed more people than birds saved. Rachel Carson is no saint even with blind followers of untold numbers.

The last estimate I read was 96 million people have died as a result of the 1972 DDT ban just so a few million birds can live. What a tradeoff...

DDT took a much, much larger toll than birds. The runoff polluted lakes and rivers all over North America. The New Mexico Game and Fish Department just lifted a do-not-eat ban on fish from Brantley Reservoir near Carlsbad after DDT levels finally subsided into the relatively safe zone. It took many years. And we almost lost the Bald Eagle to that crap.

And an estimated 96 million HUMANS (three of whom I knew) have died as a result.

quote:

Originally posted by BaxterB:

Just curious what type of reaction? Physical, emotional? Have heard of rare cases of both. I have had vivid dreams for most of my life, and while taking malarone they may have been more vivid. I say “may” because I slept like absolute crap while in Africa, mostly due to overheating in the soft-topped beds, no A/C or fans... At home I have experienced the same due to overheating and not sleeping well - almost like fever dreams. I changed my dosing to very early in the morning vs lunch and it seemed to have helped - but could have been a plecebo effect. As I stopped taking malarone at home i perceived no real difference but of course slept as normal. Hard to nail thing down due to so many factors.

I had severe, severe chest/heart pain, what I would imagine a heart attack to be like. It also significantly messed with my mind. I ended up on the floor, outside my room, writhing in pain for a significant period of time. I thought I might die. I made it through the night, quit taking Malarone, and enjoyed the next 35 days in Africa.

quote:

Originally posted by Overland:

quote:

Originally posted by BaxterB:

Just curious what type of reaction? Physical, emotional? Have heard of rare cases of both. I have had vivid dreams for most of my life, and while taking malarone they may have been more vivid. I say “may” because I slept like absolute crap while in Africa, mostly due to overheating in the soft-topped beds, no A/C or fans... At home I have experienced the same due to overheating and not sleeping well - almost like fever dreams. I changed my dosing to very early in the morning vs lunch and it seemed to have helped - but could have been a plecebo effect. As I stopped taking malarone at home i perceived no real difference but of course slept as normal. Hard to nail thing down due to so many factors.

I had severe, severe chest/heart pain, what I would imagine a heart attack to be like. It also significantly messed with my mind. I ended up on the floor, outside my room, writhing in pain for a significant period of time. I thought I might die. I made it through the night, quit taking Malarone, and enjoyed the next 35 days in Africa.

Wow. Have never heard of the chest pain symptoms before. Mostly rash, nausea, and cramps. Glad you ditched it and felt better.

Ive used both Doxy and Malarone. Malarone is a bit more expensive but does not make me sensitive to heat and light as Doxy does. However, having said that Doxie with some common sense like wearing sunglasses and long sleeve shirts and gloves was ok. I like the fact that it can be used to deal with tick fever, scorpion, etc

Thank God for the Anopheles mosquito ... without it there would be very little wildlife or even wildlife habitat left in Africa. Second prize goes to the Tsetse fly. Third prize to AIDS. Fourth prize to sport hunters.

Doxycycline...works for me!

Really didn’t feel/see any sun effects..but I am a little darker skinned(tan easy).

I like the ideal of having an antibiotic in me while tracking in the bush.... scraps, cuts and bites don’t really worry me. I have had ZERO side affects....unless a passion to hunt Africa counts as one!

I have just come down with Malaria and Malarone is for me the only cure. Forget Doxycicline as it is a mild antibiotic.

However if you have the clap which is a sexually transmitted disease then by all accounts large quantities of Doxy will sort you out.

Wishing you a speedy recovery Fairgame.