With intercontinental flights becoming so commonplace for both holidaymakers and businessmen it's easy to forget that living conditions in those far-away countries can often be very different to anything that we find here in the UK. One particular risk that can often be ignored is that of contracting malaria. Most people realise what the disease is and how it is spread by mosquitoes but too many of us continue to ignore the vital precautions and instead just believe that "It can never happen to me". Malaria is a terrible, sometimes deadly disease that is rife in over 100 countries, mainly in Africa, Southern Asia and South America.
Malaria is a threat in over 100 countries, mainly in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the globe including large areas of Africa and Asia, Central and South America and odd bits of the South Pacific. It only takes a solitary mosquito bite for somebody to be contaminated and in 2013 over 1,500 tourists were diagnosed with malaria here in the UK after returning from a malarial area, seven of these cases were sadly deadly. With these sort of stats it's nearly unbelievable that such a risk is taken, especially when you know that you are visiting a region that is impacted by malaria. The 2013 stats show that of 1,501 malaria cases reported in the UK, 1,233 of those people had visited Africa. Incidentally, the largest percentage of the reported cases were people that had been visiting family in their country of origin. The website www.malariaprevention.co.uk has lots more information on Malaria Prevention.
The significance of taking precautions against malaria, at the risk of seeming like your Mum, ought to actually go without saying. It's just as straight-forward as the option of leaving the house through your front door or the window on the second floor; basic sound judgment should prevail. Yet still, due to many misunderstandings, travellers do not take ample precautions against malaria.
Visitors frequently neglect the threat that malaria presents, even when they are traveling to or through 'malarial hot-spots'. It is not uncommon for a visitor from the UK to assume that the anti-malaria medicines have a host of side-effects and that they are just going to be in a malarial hot-spot for a day or two. The realistic truth is that the chances of contracting the disease are greatly boosted for people from the UK who haven't built up any immunity to it and in truth no-side effect, price consideration or trouble is worth the danger of getting malaria.
In order to protect yourself from malaria during your travels it is important to follow the ABCD approach;.
A = Awareness:
Figure out if there is a danger of getting malaria prior to travelling. It is vital to find out whether you will be travelling through or to a malarial hot-spot. Know where you plan to go and do some research on the presence of malaria in the region that you are going to visit. Some nations such as Malaysia and Indonesia are clear of malaria in some areas, yet in various other areas malaria safety measures are important.
B = Bite Prevention:
Take measures to stay away from mosquito bites by:
- Utilizing bug spray and re-apply frequently. The most reliable repellents include a high concentration of DEET.
- Keeping windows and doors closed in sleeping areas after sunset.
- Ideally staying somewhere with air conditioning and keeping it on during the night, additionally resting under a mosquito net.
C = Check:
Taking anti-malaria pills will greatly lessen the danger of contracting malaria. It is important to figure out which medication is most effective for you and if that medication is recommended for the area you are travelling to.
Make sure that you adhere to the guidelines given with the anti-malaria drugs, take the proper dosage, remember to start taking them before you start your trip and always finish the full course of treatment.
There are 3 typical selections of anti-malaria pills available by prescription in the UK, your General Practitioner will advise the best one for you, but make sure that you consult them at least 4 weeks prior to starting your trip. Another possibility is to make use of a UK online pharmacy. Some of these have health professionals on their staff and they are allowed to sell prescription only malaria drugs to a customer who has answered a questionnaire about where which area they are visiting plus some questions about your state of health. You'll often discover that the prices from the internet pharmacies are less expensive than purchasing the same thing with a private prescription from your local chemist.
D = Diagnosis:
If you have travelled to a malarial 'hot-spot' and subsequently start to establish signs of malaria, for example; a high temperature, throwing up or chills and sweats then you need to look for prompt clinical advice. Keep in mind that if the symptoms occur within 7 days of showing up in a malarial area then it's not malaria since it takes at the very least 7 days for malaria to appear following a bite from a malaria infested mosquito.
Remember also that malaria can lay undetected in the human body for up to twelve months, so even though you're safely back home in the UK you must seek urgent medical assistance if you find yourself suffering any of the recognised symptoms inside a year of your return. Malaria can develop really swiftly following recognition of the earliest symptoms, so it's vital if you believe there is any possibility that you could possibly have contracted it, that it is detected and treated as soon as possible.
Do not let malaria to ruin your travels, make sure that you research your location thoroughly before taking a trip and take needed preventative measures. Know Before You Go.