MALARIA - An ever-changing killer parasitic disease

DID YOU KNOW…

• Some 90 countries/territories are considered malaria areas; almost half of them in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Over 2000 million people are resident in such areas
• Estimates of malarial mortality vary from 1,5 - 2,7 million deaths each year
• Risks associated with malaria infection in pregnant women include spontaneous abortion in up to 60% of cases and a maternal mortality rate of up to 10%
• In many areas the incidence of malaria changes from season to season - with rapidly emerging resistance to conventional therapies
• Most anti-malarial drugs are only available upon prescription

Older, over-the-counter anti-malarial drugs are, with very few exceptions, no longer recommended.  All travel in Africa requires medication that may not be sold without a prescription. 

Travelsafe Clinic was one of the testing centres for a new anti-malarial drug that is now widely used in the western world. This drug, with all others, is available from our clinics.

Not all anti-malarial drugs need to be taken for extended periods before or after visiting a risk area. Some can be taken only one day before entering a risk area – and only for seven days after leaving. Consultation is, however, essential.

We do not recommend visits to any risk area without prophylaxis.  We cannot support the idea that some drugs may ‘mask’ symptoms and thus make it preferable to take nothing – and then treat the illness should symptoms develop. Malaria is a serious illness and travellers should not take any unnecessary risks.

Young people can take most anti-malarial drugs – however, should small children (under 5 years old) become infected the consequences could be life threatening.  We thus do not recommend that small children be placed at risk unnecessarily.  Only essential travel into risk areas should be undertaken by such young travellers – and then with added precautions like mosquito nets, anti-mosquito lotions/wipes and repellents.

Malaria occurs in almost all of sub-Saharan Africa - in South Africa only in the low altitude areas (below 1 000 metres) in the northern part of the country.

The female anopheles mosquito that carries the malaria parasite transmits the disease through her bite. The mosquito generally feeds between dusk and dawn, both indoors and outdoors. Bites may be minimised by the following:

• Apply a mosquito repellent to the exposed parts of your body (Wet wipes containing DEET).
• Use mosquito nets in high risk areas

Flu-like symptoms after returning from a malarial area must get immediate attention.  Any person returning from a malarial area with these symptoms should immediately consult a doctor and mention that they have been exposed to malaria. Other symptoms include body pain, diarrhoea and vomiting. The usual incubation period for malaria is 14 days but it can take as little as a week to manifest itself – and as long as two months in some cases.

Note that no precautionary measures are 100% effective.