Jane

We are going to Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand in January, 2003. &quot;Aralen&quot; has been prescribed by our GP for the trip. Have any of you taken this for a SE Asia trip? If so, what are your thoughts on it. I have read the CDC website information, but still would like to hear first-hand reports. <BR><BR>The dosage is for &quot;1 tablet weekly for 2 weeks before leaving US and 1 tablet weekly for 8 weeks after returing home.&quot; None is to be taken for the 3 weeks we are away per the doctor.

Nancy

I have traveled extensively in Southeast Asia and lived in Singapore and Hong Kong for a total of 10 years. I have never taken malaria drugs, have never known anyone who contracted malaria while living or visiting in Asia, and don't see any reason why you should take them. They are not 100% effective in the first place, and in the second, malaria is not a fatal disease to an otherwise healthy adult. Finally, there are side effects to malaria drugs that I don't think are warranted by the small risk of exposure when traveling in Asia.<BR><BR>Singapore, it is cleaner than any city in the US and they are vigilant about standing water and mosquitoes. Unless you are camping out in the jungles of Thailand or Malaysia, you won't even risk exposure. I believe your GP is being overly cautious.<BR><BR>Hope this is helpful.<BR>

Anna

I haven't taken Aralen myself, but stopping the malaria meds while in the malaria risk area didn't sound right to me, so I went to the CDC's website and found this:<BR><BR>Chloroquine (brand name Aralen&reg<BR>Directions for use: <BR>The adult dosage is 500 mg chloroquine phosphate once a week. <BR>Take the first dose of chloroquine 1 week before arrival in the malaria-risk area. <BR>Take chloroquine once a week, on the same day of the week, while in the malaria-risk area. <BR>Take chloroquine once a week for 4 weeks after leaving the malaria-risk area. <BR>Chloroquine should be taken on a full stomach to minimize nausea. <BR>Chloroquine side effects<BR>Although side effects are rare, nausea and vomiting, headache, dizziness, blurred vision, and itching can occur. Chloroquine may worsen the symptoms of psoriasis.<BR> <BR>Your GP probably doesn't prescribe a lot of antimalarials, so I'd go with the CDC recommendation.

surfergrrl

I've taken chloroquine with no adverse effects - one note however, parts of Thailand and Malaysia have chloroquine resistant strains of malaria - you might want to double check the regions and make sure that you won't be in a resistant area:<BR>this is a reliable site:<BR>https://www.tripprep.com/default.asp<BR>or talk to your travel clinic doctor.

xxx

The CDC and the WHO consider Aralen to be ineffective in SE Asia. Malarone is now the drug of choice - fewer side effects than Larium and, so far, no strong drug resistance yet in SE Asia to Malarone. However, unless you are camping in Thailand or Malaysia, no real need for malaria tablets on your trip. I suspect that your GP is not overly knowledgeable about travel medicine - he or she never should have prescribed Aralen for your trip.

Jules

Jane - I just returned from a very extensive business trip throughout most of Asia and I was never told I needed malaria tablets and nobody in my group was taking them either. I would find another doctor!

Joe

I believe CDC recommends anti-malarial prophylactics for rural areas only, and then only in northern Thailand. If one is on business, it is highly unlikely and therefore unnecessary to worry about malaria. But just because everyone else in not taking it doesn't mean you don't need to either, as malaria is nothing you want to play around with. You must evaluate the risk, if any, depending on where you are going. I agree with the above poster about Aralen - no good for SE Asia. Malarone is the one to take, if in fact you do need to.