Malaria Precautions Needed?
 

Travelling for a few weeks in Sri Lanka.

Colombo - Cultural Triangle - Kandy - Tea Country - Uda Wallawwe - Galle - Colombo.

Staying in upper range properties.

Do I need to take malaria prophylactics?

Thanks.

Yes. according to this:
http://www.mdtravelhealth.com/destin.../sri_lanka.php

Enjoy your trip to Sri Lanka. May i suggest a stop in Tamil Nadu? pretty close to Sri Lanka.

Except for Colombo usually you need them...

particuarly in lowland jungle coastal areas

also www.cutteradvanced.com DEET works for Dengue too.

Happy Journey,

Various reliable sources have different things to say about malarial risk in Sri Lanka. The travel health site above notes that a number of areas you may be visiting are low risk.

http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/desti...laria-map.aspx
This suggests the places you are visiting are low risk.

wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2010/chapter-2/malaria-risk-information-and-prophylaxis/SriLanka.aspx
This suggests that some of the places you are visiting have risk, while others are low risk.

With or without prophylaxis, you should take all steps you can to avoid being bitten. The ant-malaria pills are not 100% effective AND there are other mosquito borne illnesses other than malaria. As mentioned above there is Dengue Fever as well as Chikungunya.

Th best rule of thumb is to try to avoid ANY insect bites - mosquitoes, sand flies, and all of their relatives!

Malaria does exist but I think it is less of a worry that Dengue. Basically the best approach to avoide being bitten by using repellents, also use mosquito nets where necessary.

There is a good repellent available in pharmacies in Sri Lanka called Odomos.

I am travelling to the same areas as the OP and have just returned from my travel clinic who have advised me that malaria prophylactics are not required for those areas. Further north and to the north east prophylactics are required and Chloroquine and proguanil are the first choice. I anm particualrly cautiuos on this as I have contracted malaria once before and it was not a pleasant experience! I will be using 50% deet (day and night) to avoid any bites as much as I can. Please don't take my (or any other layman's) word for it. Check with your own specialist physician.

crellston, I'm always amazed that chloroquine and proguanil is still recommended in the UK for areas that have chloroquine-resistant malaria. Chloroquine resistance is rife in the Indian subcontinent and all of SE Asia. There have malaria deaths in persons taking that combination in these areas.

As you know, one of the trips we are considering this year is a return to Sri Lanka. My sources concur with your travel clinic that anti-malarials are not needed for the areas you are visiting.

I have been here 10 days with four more to go. Very few mosquitoes but they do exist. Malaria does not appear to be a major risk in these areas.