Malaria
 

Hello,

Can anyone tell me what the go is with malaria.

Say a Westerner going in and out of Malaysia.
The tablets are only meant for occassional uses, otherwise ucleration of the digestive tract occurs - right ? or wrong ? what to BA, KLM, any one else do for there staff ?

Thanks,

Rob

rob99 - I spent 3 months in Malaysia - had to take a variety of anti - malaria drugs; involved something like one type of tablet every day + another type once a week - Don`t know about the side effects you`ve mentioned, but I know that some of my colleagues (on a different drug than myself )suffered from hallucinations and nightmares, caused by their medication.

The pills I took were recommended by the BA travel clinic at LHR - although you have to take them more often, the side effects are negligible.

I think they were called paludrin and ????? - anyway give the BA travel clinic a ring; they`ll sort you out with the info you need.

Do Not use Meflaquin(spelling?).
That is the one that you take once a week in place of Paludrin/Nivaquin combination. Meflaquin creates hallucinations, (from personal experience) induces depression and suicidal tendancies. Rumour has it that long term use of Meflaquin will damage your eyesight and colour differentiation as well damaging your liver and kidneys. If the CAA find out you have been taking it they will suspend your Class 1 medical.

If you are only going in and out on an irregular basis and not staying long (a couple of days for example), it probably isnt worth taking a course of drugs, BUT, and an important but, if you start to feel 'fluey within a month of returning, go straight to your GP and tell him where you have been and that you must be checked out for malaria.

There's a pink (saftey) AIC about this. I seem to remember Larium being mentioned as a no-no. Best thing to do is don't get bitten!

I think Larium is the trade of Meflaquin.

I would suggest you don't bother with an anti-malarial unless you're in a high risk area for an extended period. I was in East Africa for 3 years and got it twice but if I'd have been more careful there's a chance I wouldn't have had it at all. Wear long sleeve shirts, light coloured clothing and put some anti-mossie repellant on. All much more preferable than the drugs particularly larium which I understand has some undesirable side effects.

Thanks everyone for your contibutions.

Regarding the previous reply about the person who "got it twice", I am suprised. I knid of thought that Malaria was something that once you got it, it would rear its ugly head now and again and general a fair few problems.

My question now is, Is it common for people of European decent (ie with no natural immunity) to "get it" and still continue to be employed as pilots (JAR Class 1 Medical) ?

I had simply just assummed that it would spell the end of a career in flying..

I know someone who had it and holds a class 1.Presumably it is O.K., although I know he has the occasional problem with his symptoms.

Having had malaria is not a hindrance to holding a Class 1 medical. Nor is malaria quite the bad news that it used to be, however recently new strains have emerged that are more resistant to drugs.
As for preventive medicine, Lariam is a definite no-no. It has all kinds of unpleasant side effects. However pilots can use it as a cure, but don´t even think about flying until the effects have worn off completely (2-3 weeks). Expect some very unusual dreams.
Paludrine is the classic method, but you can only take it for six months, as long term use has various unpleasant effects on kidney and livers, etc.
A relatively new and seemingly very effective drug is Malarone. Is has no known side effects and can also be used to "cure" a case of malaria. It is however quite expensive, although not prohibitively so.
Sensible behaviour (long sleeve shirts, sleeping under mosquito nets, etc) goes a long way as well. I find that cooling my bedroom way down with airconditioning and then spraying with bugspray 30 minutes before I turn in usually kills mossies in the room and keeps the rest of the bastards out for the remainder of the night. They don´t like cold air, and given the choice will go somewhere else.
If you are only in a malaria area for less than 24 hours, it is usually not worth starting a treatment, but you can always get un-lucky.
Y'all have a nice day.

I lived in a Malaria prone area for 13yrs and only got it 4 or 5 times,both kinds ie Vivax and Falsiparam (spelling?).

I agree with the chap who states " don't worry about " as nothing will stop you getting it , only lessen the severity of the attack and it has no effect on your class 1.

If you do get symptoms ,ie headache,sweats,chills etc go to your doctor asap as the Falsiparam (cerebral malaria ) will kill you after a week or so !

The last time I had it I was given a Quinine injection put on a week of quinine tabs followed by a Fanzidah tablet which wipes the the bug from your system and makes you feel crap for a day or so in the process , worse than the malaria .

Hope this helps !

MM.

Whats the biggest killer in the world ? Heart disease? cancer? accidents? No the mossie, so contact the local school of tropical medicine who have independant advice.

I got malaria whilst doing a Jungle Survival Course in the RAF and although the symptoms still re-occur after all this time (every 23 months) I still hang on to my Class 1 so don't worry, just be careful. The advice about cooling the room down is absolutely correct. Try to avoid all of the damn pills.
Drink tequila or gin (within prescribed limits of course)and share your bed with a lady who wears Chanel#5. ;)

Went back and had a look at this and realised that I had forgotten one thing - you can profitably substitute bugspray with mosquito nets. They work, and probably don't alter your genetic makeup.
Cerebral malaria is really nasty stuff. I got the impression that it was here-today-gone-tomorrow-deadly, which only emphasises that symptoms should be taken to the doc asap.
As for Tropical Medicine Institutes - yeah they are usually very good in tropical areas. Their expertise in Europe is very dependant on their staff - who unless they have spent years in the field really don't get that much practice on the real thing. Sometimes it shows. I have heard acquaintances given ludicrous advice at times. Side effects of Lariam is not always mentioned either when it is handed out.
However in all fairness, how often do we fly an NDB-Tacan approach, hmmmm? Or a VDF?