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Malaria Prevention for Mount Kinabalu Adventure Travelers
A
guide for
travelers to malaria-risk area and distribution
Mount
Kinabalu is
situated in the Island of
Borneo, South East Asia,
which is one of the malaria endemic
areas around the world. Other malaria endemic areas are:
- Mexico and
Central America
- Haiti
- Dominican
Republic
- South
America
- Sub-Saharan
Africa
- Indian
Subcontinent
- Eastern
Europe
- Asia
- Middle East
- Papua New
Guinea
- Vanuatu
- The
Solomon Island
So,
if you are not from one of the area above, you should take malaria
preventive medication when you travel to Mount Kinabalu.
What
is malaria?
Malaria is an infectious disease and maybe a deadly illness.
Humans get
malaria from mosquitoes infected with parasites. You can prevent
yourself from getting malaria by:
- Taking
antimalarial medication, and
- Avoiding
mosquito bites.
What
are the
symptoms of malaria?
- Flu-like
illness, including shaking chills,
headache, muscle ache and tiredness
- Nausea,
diarrhea and vomiting may also occur
- Anemia and
jaundice (yellow discoloration of
eyes and skin) because of the loss of red blood cells
- If
untreated, can leads to mental confusion,
seizures, coma, kidney failure and death
Malaria
is
potentially life threatening,
if not immediately treated. The
symptoms will occur at least 7 to 9 days after infection; fever
in the first week of travel is unlikely to be malaria, although any
illness should be promptly evaluated.
Malaria is diagnosed by looking for the parasite in a drop of blood
under a microscope.
What
are the
antimalarial medications?
Antimalarial medications are available by prescription from the doctor.
These are the most common medications:
atorvaquone/proguanil,
doxycycline, chloroquine and mefloquine
Atorvaquone/proguanil
(brand name Malarone (TM))
Adult: one tablet (250mg atorvaquone/100mg proguanil) once a day,
starting 1-2 days before travel to the malaria-risk area, daily while
at risk, and daily for 7 days after leaving the risk area. Take the
dose at the same time each day with food or milk.
Doxycycline
(many brand name and generics)
Adult: one tablet 100mg once a day. Take the first dose 1-2
days
before travel, daily while in the risk area, and daily for 4 weeks
after leaving the risk area. Take the dose at the same time each day.
Mefloquine
(brand name Lariam(TM))
Adult: one tablet 250mg once a week. The first dose is taken 1
week
before travel, once a week during travel, and once a week for 4 weeks
after leaving the malaria-risk area. Take the dose at the same day each
week.
Chloroquine
(brand name Aralen (TM) and generics)
Adult: one tablet 500mg once a week. The first dose is taken 1 week
before travel, once a week during travel, and once
a week for 4 weeks after leaving the malaria-risk area. Take the dose
at the same day each week.
All the medicines have some side effects.
Minor side effects such as
nausea, occasional vomiting or diarrhea usually do not require stopping
the antimalarial medication. If you cannot tolerate your antimalarial
medication, see your health-care provider; other antimalarial
medications are available. Seek
medical professional help if you travel with children or you are
pregnant.
Preventing
mosquito bites
Protect yourself from mosquito bites. Mosquito that transmit malaria
bite between dusk and dawn. Prevent mosquito bites by staying indoors,
if possible. If out-of-doors, wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants and
a hat. Apply insect repellent to exposed skin only; do not use under
clothing. Use insect repellent containing DEET for the best protection.
When using repellent with DEET, follow these recommendations:
- Use only
when outdoors and wash skin with soap
and water after coming
indoors.
- Do not
breathe in, swallow or get into eyes.
- Do not put
repellent on wounds or broken skin.
- Higher
concentration of DEET may have a longer
repellent effect; however, concentrations over 50% provided no added
protection.
- Time-release
DEET products may have a longer
repellent effect than liquid products.
- DEET may
be used on adults, children and
infants older than 2 months of age. Protect infants by using a carrier
draped with mosquito netting with an elastic edge for a tight fit.
- Children
under 10 years of age should not apply
repellent themselves. Do not apply to young children's hand or around
eyes and mouth.
Take a flying-insect spray or mosquito coils on your trip to help clear
rooms of mosquitoes. If you will not be staying in well-screened or
air-conditioned rooms, take additional precautions, including sleeping
under mosquito netting (bed nets).
References:
CDC
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