Things To Bring #4 - Malaria Prevention

Malaria is characterized by fever and influenza-like symptoms, including chills, headache, myalgias, and malaise; these symptoms can occur at intervals.  Malaria symptoms can develop as early as 7 days (usually at least 14 days) after initial exposure in a malaria-endemic area and as late as several months or more after departure.

Minimizing the chance of contracting the disease falls under two categories, chemoprophylaxis and avoiding getting bit by a mosquito.

All currently recommended primary chemoprophylaxis regimens involve taking a medicine before travel, during travel, and for a period of time after leaving the malaria endemic area. Beginning the drug before travel allows the antimalarial agent to be in the blood before the traveler is exposed to malaria parasites.

Since Haiti is a Chloroquine-sensitive malaria zone, the many effective chemoprophylaxis alternatives include chloroquine, atovaquone/proguanil, doxycycline, and mefloquine.  Each drug has its pros and cons, more information can be obtained here so you can make a decision on the correct drug for you. 

Last year I spent a month in Malawi and never slept under mosquito netting , rarely used bug spray, and never got bit.  My first night at Hopital Adventiste, I slept with netting but used no bug spray and I got eaten alive...I counted 23 mosquito bites, mainly around my wrists and ankles. Some of these lesions later festered after I scratched them which made scrubbing for surgery rather irritating.  So I rapidly became a believer and became more proactive with respect to prevention.

Zach Hadley (photo below) demonstrating proper technique for sleeping under mosquito netting.  There are plenty of quality mosquito nets available (pic above), no need to bring your own.  However, make sure that the sides are tucked closely around your cot to minimize the chance for winged foreigners to invade your space.

I ran across the item below in the REI catalogue, it looks interesting and I may give it a shot next time I go.  The Sea to Summit Insect Shield CoolMax Adapter bag liner is specifically designed for use in warm, humid and buggy conditions providing odorless insect protection and moisture management.

The most effective repellent against a wide range of vectors is DEET (N,N-diethylmetatoluamide), an ingredient in many commercially available insect repellents. The actual concentration of DEET varies widely among repellents. DEET formulations as high as 50% are recommended although higher concentrations can irritate the skin.  DEET should be applied to the exposed parts of the skin when mosquitoes are likely to be present.  Don't forget to reapply to the upper extremities after scrubbing for surgery.