Malaria recovery

[flyboy2]

Let's hear from aircrew what treatments you've been given, after being diagnosed as having contracted malaria.

This will become a long forum, as there are so many sides to treatment.

Best advice, but the hardest to implement is: Don't get bitten!
There are well-known methods to safeguard yourself.

Are you aware of the dangers of malaria & of taking prophylaxis beforehand?

[gingernut]

Yes, prevention is certainly better than cure. Have a look at stuff on "search" as it has been looked at before.

Seems those most at risk are indigenous folk who travel, lose their immunity, and go back to stay in "local conditions."

Don't know much about treatment, I'm at the other end (prevention.)

Pilots and air crew sometimes seem to be a little "Maverick" (unruly rather than Tom Cruise) about the situation the last time I checked, but that was some time ago.

Recovery is usually full, in the UK, but I think we lose about 4 travellers a year here. Schools of Tropical Medicine usually give the most robust advice about prevention and treatment. :)

[mad_jock]

speak to a western medic that lives in a region thats infested with it.

The advice you will get from an in country doc is different to what you get at home.

That advice will cost you five dollars for the kit and you won't posion your body or feel ****e day in day out.

lived in a red zone didn't take any pills but still carry the test kit in my bag. used it twice on other people and used the magic pill both times But never needed to take it personally.

[gingernut]

Prevention does cut down the risk, dramatically. Less bites, less risk.

Drug prevention (depending on your "risk profile") at present consists of malarone, mefloquine, doxycline, chloroquine and proguinal.

If you fly planes, you need to talk to your AME.

[obgraham]

There is some value to the "in country" approach. Artemisinin drugs, for example. Possibly the best treatment drugs available, usually used in a combination. If I contracted malaria, particularly Falciparum, I'd be looking there. Not of great use as prevention, though.

Unfortunately, Artemisinins are not yet available in US or (to my knowledge) in UK.

[mad_jock]

the not getting bit in the first place is always the first priority.

After that where you get the attack can hugely effect the severity and out come. in more developed country's like tanzania you have 24 hour testing stations and for 5$ you get tested and the local drug that works issued if required. The effects of the preventative drugs are quite horrible. The big issue is when you get an attack outside a region and the local medics don,t have access to the drug for your flavour of it. Better to get it local quickly after being infected where they know what they are doing and have the local drug that works. When going from an area pick up a course of treatment and then you have it with you if you get an attack later. It gets to be more involved if your have been in multiple regions. As for cost of testing kits and drugs bought locally its less that a course of drugs for 4 weeks bought in europe.

Another bit of advice was always insure your accom was away from livestock by at least a km.

For aircrew your only allowed the antibiotic preventative which according to the doc I talked to was pretty much useless in most regions these days.

He was a french medic who had worked in alot of Africa and apparenty was a pretty good dentist as well with little formal training but learned on a needs must on aid workers.

[gingernut]

Our lab's ask us to take at least three samples over three consecutive days.

[mad_jock]

Mean while your liver is getting trashed and the critters are setting up shop in your brain.

It takes 15mins to get the results in country and treatment starts then and there. And no frying your system with fever. All the folk I have seen catch it felt a bit crap went for the test took the pill and were back to work after one day off. And no chance of catching MRSA either.