I've used it for the past few years for lots of trips and have had no side effects.

For Anthrax, it's Cipro that was prescribed when there were threats in the States in '01/'02.

Difference between 30% & 90% Deet is that you don't have to reapply the 90% as often, but the higher the %, the more toxic.

Deet, for sure doesn't work for tse-tse, but then nothing does. Best to just avoid them or roll up those windows.

Re: DEET. You can buy "controlled release" formulas in 20-35% concentrations that really DO last up to 12 hours unless you get REALLY hot and sweaty. No need to use a higher percentage of chemicals. You will find these (Sawyer's, Ultrathon, etc) at camping stores, not drug stores.

There are two schools of thought if you also use sunscreen. I recommend (I work in a travel clinic) using the DEET first as a base coat; then add sunscreen as needed throughout the day. Sunscreen seems to work best if it's on top. (This assumes 20-35% DEET; if you 90% DEET you might have toxicity issues.) There are some combination (DEET + sunscreen) products. If you use these, use the combo in the morning and evening, but just a plain sunscreen throughout the day -- otherwise you are applying too much DEET.

I used Doxycycline to cure tick bite fever (prescribed in Kenya, mid-trip). I was extremely sensitive to the sun. I had on long pants, long shirt and a hat with bare hands and sandals. When I was in the sun my hands and feet felt like they were in a toaster oven. They really hurt and were burned with very little sun exposure.

I did not think that DEET would ward off tsetse flies!!

GeofG...I am glad that you have used Doxycycline for many years with no problems.

However, since there are better medications for malaria and if I was able to use them...then I would want to use the best the market has to offer.

Doxycycline is in the Tetracycline family of drugs and one of its good reasons for use is that it is a once a day drug as opposed to 4 times a day for Tetracycline.

It's mode of action is not potent against all organisms....that is why it is called a
Bacteriostaic agent.

bacteriostatic means that the drug does NOT kill the organism...it only stops its growth.!

You want a Bacteriocidal drug...this drug KILLS the organism.

Also , taking prophylaxis for malaria does NOT stop the infection ...it stops the disease.

When the malaria parasite enters your body you ARE infected... whatever drug you are taking for malaria is suppose to STOP the parasite once it has entered your blood stream.

Now it is in your blood stream....so you want the best anti-malaria medication you can possibly have ...you want to KILL this parasite, NOT just stop it from growing !

Doxycycline'smode of action is that it inhibits protein synthesis in the parasite.....however, this action is reversible once you stop the Doxycycline !!!
and also

the parasite is still present ...you have just stunted or stopped its growth.

I could give you the mechanism of action of malarone but it is rather complex...as it involves mitochondral electron transport... and let
us not get into that !:)

Can Doxycline be used in Anthrax....yes..but I would never use it...why ? ...because Cipro is around and it is a 100% better drug and it is Bacteriocidal ( it kills the bacteria).

However , I will add this:

If you are going to an area where the malaria parasite is resistant to Lariam and Chloroquin and you are not able to use Malarone .THEN..by all means use Doxycycline...
just know its limitations !

I would not want you getting sick GeoffG. :)

Also whereever you are....and if you are sick in a malaria infected place.....then GET a blood test..this is simple to do.

Do not take No for ananswer.!

You take a small amount of your blood... place it on a slide....add a few chemicals and look at it under the microscope......if the culprit is there..it WILL be seen.

Finally and I do not know why people do not do this:

ASK for the slides of your blood smear...so you can take it home with you and have your local doctor or lab have a look at it in your own country.

ASK FOR THE SLIDE ..IT IS YOURS.

Percy

Wow....what a variety of opinions. We are going to a game reserve called Savanah for 3 nights. It's in Sabi Sabi. The rest of the time we will not be on a safari.
Maybe we would be fine taking it 2 days before (as prescribed) and 2 weeks afterwards instead of 4. I'm blonde and fair skinned.

Jill - talk to you doctor and read the CDC website. We are not doctors here (well most of us aren't) and there is no point in arguing what is the best. Talk to your doctor and let him tell you what to do. If you get sick I can promise the doctor will want to know why you chose to listen to a bunch of people on a travel forum instead of sound medical advice. I will also add if you can go to a travel clinic or travel doctor that is even better as they specialize in travel and are the most up to date in what works best where and what may no longer be effective! Parasites and germs develop resistance to drugs over time, so what was effective even last year may not be the best thing to take this year. Take advice from a medical professional that makes it his or her business to be up to date on such things! My father is a doctor and he sends me to a travel nurse for this very reason!!

Jill: I think aowens is right; see a specialist if you have concerns. But PLEASE, if you take Doxy, take it for 4 weeks after leaving the malaria area, not just two. In our travel clinic the people who return with malaria usually either: took a drug to which there's resistance in the country they visited, stopped the meds part way through the recommended time, or decided they had some magic protection and didn't take any antimalarials.

The other suggestion to try out Doxy for several days before you go is another option; 3 days ought to do it. That's how I discovered (before I invested in a 3 week supply) that Malarone gave me canker sores. I did a test run with Doxy too, including some time in the sun, just to be sure I wouldn't have problems. I'm a blonde with light blue eyes and had NO problem, yet someone else in my office (not a blonde) got sunburn blisters on her feet (where she forgot to put sunscreen while at the beach.)

jill
frankly - it sounds redicilous to me to take chemicals for almost 3 weeks for a duriation of stay of 3 days.

if you consider malarone you start day 0, 3 days safari plus 7 days afterwards.

speak to a doctor who is uptodate and ask - depending on time of year you are travelling which makes abig difference to anopheles occurance! - whether a repellent and coving skin would suit your needs.

div

Gee ...that is exactly what I said after my first posting:

" Now ask your doctor which is best for you."

Also at the Travel Clinic or Travel doctor's office they have charts...like a world map.....which shows them what part of a country is most prone to a certain infectious disease at any given time.

For example you do not need Yellow Fever vaccine to go to Rio de Janeiro Brazil....but you do if you are going from Rio to the Amazon.

See what I mean.!

You have paid a lot of money for a holiday.....pay a bit more to see a Travel Clinic doctor and set your mind and health at ease !

Have a gooooood safe trip :)

Percy

Yes, for only 3 days at risk (sorry I missed that) I'd certainly be inclined to go with Malarone...it's ideal when you are in a malaria area for only a few days.

I wish an M.D. would weigh in here. I would think that using an antibiotic as a prophylactic when the medical profession worldwide is wringing its hands about the over-prescribing of antibiotics (leading to drug resistant bacterium) is kinda wrongheaded. Except in rare cases when a person can't take it, why wouldn't most people take Malarone, which is the undisputed drug of choice these days?

Laleslie

I agree with you and I gave the reason in my posting when to use Doxycycline.

Knowing the pro and cons of all the malaria medications...Doxycycline would be my last choice IF I was able to use Malarone !

Good Night all

Percy

While it's not the case in this situation (with only 3 days at risk), Doxy is often selected for longer trips due to its low cost. The cost of Malarone (about $6 per day if not covered by insurance) can be prohibitive for someone who will be in malaria risk areas for several months.

PS - Doxy may also be the antimalarial of choice for someone traveling to areas where there has been a cholera outbreak. Cholera vaccine is not available in the US, so if someone has to travel to an area with high cholera risk, we put them on Doxy to protect against both malaria and cholera.

I was prescribed Doxy in 2005 for a 6 week trip to Kenya. I managed a week. I was so sick with nausea, 24-7, that I decided I could not take it any longer. I have traveled many times prior to this with Larium with no side effects however I understand from a recent trip to the travel clinic that that doesn't mean that I would be immune to the side effects should I take it in future. I have also taken Malarone and for me this was the drug of choice. But I mimic others in this forum, what works for one person might not work for the next.
As far as protection from malaria, used with an insect repellent, I am sure you would be as safe on Doxy as any other drug, or at least that is what I was told.

i had a similar experience to elijay-- i was in india for six weeks of summer 2007 and felt quite ill from the doxycycline i was taking. so, i quit it, used copious amounts of insect repellant and crossed my fingers.

did the same when i went to thailand this summer and made it out alive.

but to answer your original question-- doxycycline is commonly prescribed as an anti-malarial. (oh and for some people, it has the added effect of clearing up skin problems).

Interesting skibumette, thanks. Guess I was thinking the difference in cost wouldn't matter to most people if they can afford to go to AFrica anyway. But to me theh cost of bacteria resistent diseases, which are really spreading throughout the world, is scary.

Myata, as a matter of fact I'm taking doxycycline right now for a nasty rosacea breakout, but I don't think it's going to make your skin lovlier if you haven't got a real problem!

<i>Guess I was thinking the difference in cost wouldn't matter to most people if they can afford to go to AFrica anyway.</i>

Not everyone is going for vacation though especially those who are going for longer periods of time.

I spoke with the Travel Clinic nurse and she gave me a prescription for Malarone instead. I'm happy to only take it 1 day before and 1 week after !! Thanks for all your help Fodorites.