Mid January I'll be going to Burma, vsiting Rangoon, Bagan, Mandalay, Kalaw and Inle Lake. I would like to know if others took anti malarials for traveling to Burma.
BTW, I would post my travel arrangements but this trip is on a tour with OAT.

I didn't and went to Yangon and Bagan in August ( during rainy season) I don't know what the requirement is for the other areas you mentioned but aside from a few bites because we sat by the pool at night I didn't notice loads of Mosquitos.

All of Burma except the cities of Yangon and Mandalay and areas over 1000 m. elevation are malarial risk. Burma has the largest number of deaths from malaria of any Asian country (thta's not a per capita number, but an absolute number of deaths). We opted to take malarone two years ago and will be doing so again this year.

In any case, you should use repellant, as not only malaria but dengue are risks.

I do hope you will consult with a travel med professional before your trip to make sure you have all appropriate vaccines as well.

http://www.mdtravelhealth.com/destin...a/myanmar.html

Some of the meanest most resistant malaria on Thai Border

Know of 1 cerebral malaria death a Brit backpacker not on meds

Rural areas below 1000 ft require preventives

Doxycycline 100 mg cheap works everywhere in the past for me

lots of other health issues also...review carefully

Happy Travels!

The most effective cure for the most dangerous form of malaria called ACTs (Artemisinin Combination Therapies) has saved over 730,000 lives in Africa alone. However, there are signs that a new malaria parasite, resistant to ACTs, first identified on the border of Thailand and Cambodia, is now emerging in Burma. Time is limited to contain the spread of this drug resistant strain.

Burma has a pivotal role to play in preventing the spread of drug-resistance. Experts have warned that if resistance is not contained it could travel to Africa with potentially devastating results.

The UK is providing an initial extra £4 million to kick start resistance containment in Burma. In 2011 this will reach 166,000 people with diagnosis and treatment, provide 350,000 bed nets and re-treat a further 450,000 bednets to reduce and ultimately help contain drug-resistant malaria.

Speaking ahead of World Malaria Day on 25 April, International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell said:

"It is simply not acceptable that across the world almost 780,000 people – mainly pregnant women and children – die every year through a disease that is not only curable but preventable.

"Britain is at the forefront of the fight against drug-resistant malaria. It is vital that we work to prevent the spread of resistant parasites if the progress of recent years is not to be undone.

"The worrying situation in Burma requires an innovative approach to contain resistant parasites by massively increasing access to accurate diagnosis and effective treatment – and to prevent malaria in the first place, particularly amongst migrant workers."

The reason there is ACT resistant malaria in Burma is that more than one-thrid of the ACT drugs available in Burma are counterfeit. The counterfeit drugs, manufactured in China (as is the real drug) contains a small amount of the active ingredient - not enough to treat the malaria, but enough to cause the development of resistance.

Thank you for the replies. I do consult my travel clinic but was just wondering what other travelers opt to do. I have taken Malerone when traveling to Africa. Although expensive, it is taken for a shoter period of time than Doxycycine. I do not like to take medications unless absolutely necessary, but am not foolish to take a risk.

It is sad that so many deaths can be prevented. I read about counterfeit meds, not only in Burma, but in other southeast Asian countries as well.

I used Malerone on our trip and will finish my last pill today! Hooray.

If you go to Kalaw and do any trekking, you will be above the 1000m area. We saw mosquitoes everywhere and both my husband and I did receive some bites. We both agreed that the high cost of Malerone was offset by knowing that we probably would not get Malaria. We felt it was a good trade-off. We both had no problems with the drug and opted for it instead of Doxy because of the length of time you have to take Doxy.

I vote for you to take something....just to be sure!