Jim01

We'll be in Kruger NP from 20 May. Should we take some anti-malaria tablets, viz malarone? I thought because of the cold weather there would be no need.

traci_local_in_sa

It may be winter, but it is not that cold in Kruger. I would not risk the malaria and rather take the precautions.

sandi

I too agree. Mosquitos are usually not around during windy or cold temps... but you just never do know for sure. My motto "better safe than sorry" and since the Malarone has minimal if any side effects (versus the Lariam)... take the pills.
If you have a drug insurance plan they won't cost more than $50 for all you need for the trip. Without a drug plan the cost might be double, but check with your pharmacist and check around. You start taking then two days before entering affected area, then daily (same time of day with food or dairy products - milk, yogurt), and for seven days after leaving area.
There is no malaria in JNB and CPT, just figure the days you'll be on safari.

itleyen

Protect against malaria. Lariam has no side effects for the great majority of people - you simply take one tablet per week, after eating. You start a week before you enter a suspect area, while you're there, and for several weeks afterward. Quite simple, really, and worth the effort.

pattysuericia

I was on malarone which is what the doctors here at the tropical disease centre recommended without any hesitation whatsoever. I would say half my group was on malarone & the others took larium once weekly -don't take "any" chances please

sandi

Now that Malarone is available, the Lariam is rarely, if ever, being prescribed. While most people have minor or no reaction to Lariam, enough did and when the Malarone became available, that's the way doctors are going. In fact, many drug plans are not covering the Brand Name Lariam, but are suggesting people get the generic. Well, if people were having trouble with the real thing, I'd prefer not to go the generic way, especially with this drug.
Go with Malarone. Be safe.

itleyen

To correct the record, Lariam is widely prescribed by many major HMOs in large urban areas, and is listed as an important option by CDC. By all means, take the drugs you have more confidence in - but make your posting science-based and accurate. The important issue is to take an effective drug for malaria. Some people have complained abou side effects of Lariam. This usually means a slight and temporary stomach upset - which is why it's important to follow directions and take it after a meal, once per week. But again, take a medication - don't take chances.

sandi

An upset stomach is the least of someones possible problems with Lariam, that is why they had been working for so long on a replacement. So now that Malarone is available (it was aapproved & vailable in Europe before in the States, by two years) if HMO doctors haven't started scripting it, they will or should be very soon. Most of the HMOs in the NYC area have already or are in the process of taking Lariam off their list of approved malaria. prophylaxis

woollytenderness

itleyen,
You are spot on with your advice. Have a great day!

itleyen

Well, seriously, that is interesting, Sandi. When we go my hubby normally refuses to take anything, if you can believe it, but I have my kids on Lariam, and me too. But I'm not too old for new information, so I will do a search on internet and check out the new material. I am alarmed at my husband's cavalier attitude about malaria. We actually had a case last year, someone near us on the Ohio. And they had not been to Africa in several years. Anyway, I'm not completely sure about this switch to malarone, what might they say in the next few years when they find something else. But thanks anyway.

sandi

itleyen - we took Lariam our first few trips to Africa, and with the exception of "doxycylin" (sp), an alterate med that's been around for years, for people that don't react well to Lariam - there wasn't anything else available.

As I mentioned, Lariam worked fine with us, but way too many people had reactions to this. Some an upset stomach, more with restless sleep and weird dreams and then the psychosis.

Certainly, you and your children have been very lucky not to have had any reactions. Your husband, well, I won't comment on that!

There is also a problem with Lariam for people who have heart and blood and pressure problems. Unfortunately, most doctors who script this, just don't know the questions to ask. So in such cases a Travel Clinic is a better resource, as they deal with deseases and the appropriate meds, reguarly.

Malarone is an excellent replacement, and I haven't read of any side-effects, other than possibly "fuzzy stomach" - that's why you must take with food.
Think of it this way as far as change is concerned - when traveler first started traveling (Churchill, FDR, Isak Dinesen, etc), maybe they knew about "quinine", but over the years better alternatives were presented, some better than others. And closer to our time, Chris Mathews the news commentator on MSNBC had visited Southern Africa (about 2-yrs ago) with his family and separately for the network to the Middle-East. In both instances he had taken Malaria meds. Sure enough sometimes after his return he got very ill, and it was only a sharp physician who with some tests found that he did indeed have Malaria, and a very unusual Malaria mosquito did the deed, and he had been on meds. As he explained to his audience upon returning to work - it was the closest one can come to death and that even the cure was a horror.

Check the web to reassure yourself, but on your next trip with the "entire" family, Malarone will prove to be better choice.