The skinny on malaria prevention
 

I know there's a million posts on here regarding malaria precautions and all the different information is kind of making my head sping a bit.

What's the long and short of it? We're going to be in Bangkok, Siem Reap, Chiang Mai and Phi Phi in mid-to-late-November (no more than a couple days in each place.) My main concern is Angkor as we really don't want to sweat to death, but we also don't want to risk contracting malaria. We've got our pills so I'm just conerned with bite prevention at this point.

I know everyone probably has a different opinion, and of course our travel doctor says wear long pants...and even long sleeved shirts, which seems horribly medieval considering what the temperature will be...not to mention climbing up and down those temples.

I guess my question here is: can we get away with using the DEET and wearing long lightweight (like the ones at REI) travel pants but still be able to use short sleeved t-shirts? I'd love to wear shorts and a T, but it doesn't sound like that's very sensible, according to what I've read on here. Or is it?

This is only a concern for the portions of our trip in Siem Reap as well as just outside of Chiang Mai (where we're staying at the Baan Rai Lanna.) For Bangkok and Phi Phi, my understanding is that I really, for all intents and purposes, shouldn't be nearly as concerned.

Any input would be appreciated!

-Bill

You are correct that your major risk are will be Siem Reap. Note that both malaria and dengue are risks there. For prevention of bites, you will be fine with a deet - repellant (choose one that is 25-50% deet), long pants and a short sleeved shirt. We encountered few mosquitos during the day (those are the ones that spread dengue) but got bitten a lot at open-air restaurnats in the evening. So remembr to put repellant on your ankles and feet. The type of mosquits that spread malaria are most active from dusk until dawn. Sleeping in an air-conditioned room lowers your risk, or if you are in a fan-colled room, do use a bed net.

I think the best deet product is the 3M Ultrathon. It was made for the army and has a low % deet but very effective.

We were in Costa Rica walking in the rainforest...everyone around us was using Off and other high deet products..we use Ultrathon...they had clouds of bugs around them and we had none...

I didn't get bite once but i'm usualy a great target so I was pleased with this product.

KSC

Yes, ultrathon is a timed-relese deet product and is vary effective. I understand Sawyers also has a timed-release deet product. When you apply make sure to cover ALL exposed skin. Deet is only effective where it is applied, so dotting it on exposes lots of untreaeted skin.

I always use the cdc website for travel health issues: www.cdc.gov/travel

What's the DEET percentage in Ultrathon?