Malaria vaccine

who.am.i
By who.am.i

Doing some voluntourism in East Africa next month thinking where I could get a vaccine for malaria before heading out?

By wirehead• 25 Oct 2010 17:01
wirehead

i think larium, or something else that sounds similar to it, can make people hallucinate as a side effect.

whatever anti-malaria drug you end up taking, be sure to put on mosquito repellent lotion. i'm not sure if they're available in qatar though. use mosquito nets when sleeping too. i've heard that citronella and lemongrass act as natural mosquito repellents and there are organic sprays & lotions available from where i come from.

By nessa134• 25 Oct 2010 09:17
Rating: 4/5
nessa134

There is no vaccine though anti-malaria drugs offer some protection of sorts. I would avoid Larium: a close friend suffered terribly whilst on it, but would generally consult a doctor, preferably one who has practiced in a malaria-ravaged region. I'd follow all the other recommended precautions and get familiar with the early symptoms of malaria, as delayed presentation to a practitioner is of particular significance here. You may find this site useful. http://www.medicalgeek.com/lecture-notes/18023-complications-malaria.html

Otherwise, happy volunteering and enjoy East Africa!

By Oryx• 25 Oct 2010 02:19
Oryx

I have been to East Africa....i never took anti malarias.

If you like pm where you are going and I will give you my advice.

Think twice b4 taking anti malarias like doxy and malarone.

By wirehead• 24 Oct 2010 21:06
Rating: 3/5
wirehead

go to the doctor and get a prescription. they'll give you options to choose from because the vaccines that are available have side effects (at least the ones discussed with us). i've forgotten what the other options are but the one prescribed to us was doxycycline, which is an antibiotic you need to take orally one or two days before heading out to the place with high risk of malaria. we ended up not taking them though because the area we went to turned out to be low risk and the possible side effects outweigh the benefits of taking them and the doctor actually discouraged us. but you need to discuss the details of your trip with your doctor as there may be different requirements for your body, the area you are going to and the length of your stay. enjoy your trip and stay safe :)

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