Malaria Meds in Laos and Vietnam
 

Hi everybody,

Just wondering if we're going to the Luang Prabang area in Laos and the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, should we take any malaria meds?

Thank you

Take a look at www.cdc.gov/malaria/travel/index.htm

From the cdc website:

Areas of Laos with Malaria: All, except none in the city of Vientiane.

Areas of Vietnam with Malaria: Rural, forested areas, except none in the Red River delta and the coast north of Nha Trang. None in Can Tho, Da Nang, Haiphong, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Hue, Nha Trang, and Qui Nhon. [my note: some of the Delta area is malarial risk, some is not]

If you will be visiting an area with malaria, you will need to discuss with your doctor the best ways for you to avoid getting sick with malaria. Ways to prevent malaria include the following:

Taking a prescription antimalarial drug
Using insect repellent and wearing long pants and sleeves to prevent mosquito bites
Sleeping in air-conditioned or well-screened rooms or using bednets

---

As you discuss this with a travel med or tropical med doc, do consider your activities and whether they will place you at greater or lesser risk for malaria. The mosquitos that carry malaria are most active at dawn and dusk.

If you choose to take an anti-malarial medication, you have only two effective options in this part of the world: Malarone and Doxycycline. The cdc website has lots of info on anti-malarial drugs.

While you are at the travel med doc, do discuss immunizations as well.

[Personally, I opted to take Malarone.]

You do not need malaria prophylactics in Laos unless you are doing an extended trek in the jungle. The malaria "information" in the above post relates to cases contracted by local people who live in rural areas. I would strongly suggest that you seek advice from a specialist in tropical medicine who lives and works in the area. The doctor at the Australian Embassy clinic in Vientiane is one such source. Also be aware that some people suffer significant side effects from these prophylactics.

Yoe do need to protect yourself against dengue fever and covering up and using deet is the way to go. Prophylactics will NOT protect you against dengue.

From experience, if you're not to the jungles in these countries, you will be fine then.

It depends on whether you find epidemiological data or anecdotal data compelling.

Jungles are not, of course, the primary location for malaria.

Fir for travel (NHS) also has an excellent website. Here is what they have to say about malaria in Laos: Risk of malaria and is present throughout the year in the whole country but minimal in the capital Vientiane.

Here is their excellent malarial risk map for Laos:
http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/desti...laria-map.aspx

I find it amusing that posters who live in a cocooned western existence think their knowledge is greater than those who live here.

Wow such grandstanding!

From the Australian Embassy in Laos website:

"Malaria is a risk in rural areas of Laos. Other mosquito-borne diseases, such as dengue fever and Japanese encephalitis, are prevalent in Laos, especially during the rainy season. We recommend you take prophylaxis against malaria and take measures to avoid mosquito bites, including using insect repellent at all times. "

Rural areas of Laos = pretty much all area outside of Vientiane.

Source: http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Laos

Of course you don't have to heed the advices from the CDC, WHO etc. What do they know right?

"Of course you don't have to heed the advices from the CDC, WHO etc. What do they know right?"

Actually nowhere near as much as you would think. Often their information is out of date and it is always on the highly conservative side for obvious reasons. You should also be aware that this same information has appeared on the Smart traveller site for years - note NOT on the Oz Embassy site as you claim. By the way, they also have warnings about the route from Vientiane to Vang Vieng, even the the last incident occurred 8 years ago. However you knew that, of course, didn't you?

This is the Australian Embassy in Laos website: http://www.laos.embassy.gov.au/

Click on "Travel Advice for Laos" and you're link to: http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-c...#Health_Issues

Clear enough?

We have been through this before Hanuman, and I apologise as English is clearly not your first language. The web site has a link to take you to the smartraveller site. Clear enough?

Yep blame my bad English!

The smartraveller web site is clearly an Australian Government web site and by being linked from the Australian Embassy in Laos does give it credence and that it's information is both current and should be respected. Since you've quoted "The doctor at the Australian Embassy clinic" and it contradict the advices from the Australian Government, and it's Embassy in Laos, then someone here is lying.

Go ahead VB keep attacking people when they don't agree with your bad advices.

Its "advice", Hanuman - singular and plural. not "advices".

That is the best advice you've given today VB. Ever thought about becoming a teacher, perhaps even an English teacher?

Actually Vientieaneboy, you are incorrect. It is perfectly acceptable use of English grammar to use the word advice with or without an s.

Crellston, you are quite correct. I checked up and "advices" is correct, though it is regarded as a bit old fashioned. Apologies.

Thanks guys for all your advice(s) :) and also for an interesting debate on English grammar.

Cheers