- Westerners
who visit malarious countries, however briefly, are not
immune! Several thousand return home from travels each
year and are hospitalized with malaria. Travelers have
contracted "airport malaria" while waiting on planes that
were being refueled in malarious areas. Expatriates and
soldiers who live abroad are at even greater risk. Malaria
was the number one cause of hospitalization among American
troops deployed to Somalia; the number two cause among
troops in Vietnam (after combat injury); and a leading
cause among diplomats, missionaries and aid workers.
- The
risks to travelers vary. Some parts of the world, such
as southern Mexico and Central America, pose a low malaria
risk while others, such as most parts of subSaharan Africa,
pose a high risk. In other areas, the risk is seasonal.
The reason for the variation in risk is because different
species of malaria occur in different parts of the world
and because sometimes malaria is common whereas in other
places malaria exists, but is not extremely common.
- Malaria
prevention is a medical matter and should be handled by
a physician who is qualified in infectious diseases, tropical
medicine, or travel health. Always consult a travel health
professional such as a tropical medicine clinic or travel
medicine specialist before traveling to subSaharan Africa,
the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, or tropical South
and Central America.
- Your
travel health specialist will give you valuable advice
and immunizations for the conditions existing at your
destination, as well as advice on malaria prevention.
- Use
a mosquito repellent on exposed skin during dusk and night
hours if you are in an area that has malaria.
- Pack
a mosquito net that has been impregnated with Permethrin,
which is sold as Permanone if you are travelling to an
area that has malaria. Your physician or travel health
clinic will be able to assist if you do not know whether
the area has malaria or not.
- Links
to many other travel advisory sites may be found at the
MFI
Travel Advisory page.
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