Where Do I Go to Get Travel Vaccinations
Traveling is an heady, character-building activity that provides memories to last a lifetime. Travel should be fun, lighthearted, and exhilarating. Nevertheless, in that location are some travel hazards you should exist prepared for before starting your journey. One of the hazards is traveling to certain regions with a high risk of malaria infection. Acquire well-nigh different malaria medications for travel.
What Is Malaria?
Malaria is an infection spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. In that location are over 500 million malaria cases worldwide every year and over 1 million deaths. Over twoscore% of the earth's population lives in a region where malaria is endemic. These regions include Western and Sub-Saharan Africa, Due south Asia, the Western Pacific, and South America.
Malaria is not contagious from person to person. Nevertheless, mosquito bites can even so spread from an infected person to someone who isn't infected. There are about 2,000 cases of malaria in the The states per year. However, that number tin grow if you do non have preventative measures like malaria medications for travel before your difference. Because symptoms can take weeks to develop, a traveler may return home carrying the illness. If a mosquito bites them upon their return, that mosquito becomes a carrier and can infect other people.
What Are the Symptoms of Malaria?
It'due south important to know the signs and symptoms if yous know you lot're traveling to a high-risk destination. Virtually symptoms exercise non bear witness up until weeks after the initial infection, which tin often lead to astringent complications.
Symptoms of malaria include:
- Fever and flu-like sickness
- Stomach issues such as vomiting and diarrhea
- Muscle aches and chills
- Fatigue
- Anemia
- Jaundice due to a loss of ruby blood cells.
If you don't treat malaria infection rapidly, serious complications such as kidney failure, seizures, comas, and death can occur.
How Is Malaria Treated?
Fortunately, prescription drugs are available to treat malaria. Treatment varies based on your age, the region yous were infected, the severity of symptoms, and whether or not you are pregnant.
Chloroquine is the preferred drug to treat all parasitic infections. Withal, in many countries with high malaria cases, mosquitos take become resistant to the medications used to treat malaria. This is why prevention is important if you are traveling to a country with a loftier risk.
Malaria Medications For Travel
To keep yourself condom while you travel, talk to your md most malaria pills for travel. In that location are many types of preventative medications yous can have before traveling. Your physician will ask you how long until your trip, where yous will visit, and how long your trip will be — they will then create a intendance plan based on that timeline. In that location are a few popular malaria pills for travel, including:
- Chloroquine is a pill that you take once a week. Yous ordinarily offset taking this medication 1-2 weeks before you travel, once a week during travel, and once a calendar week for 4 weeks afterwards returning habitation from your trip. Yous should not use this medication if traveling to a chloroquine-resistant region.
- Malarone is a practiced option if your trip is on brusque notice. You begin taking Malarone once a day 1-2 days before your trip, every day you're abroad, and vii days post-obit your return home.
- Doxycycline is an antibody taken daily. You volition begin taking Doxycycline 1-2 days earlier your trip, once a 24-hour interval during, and for vii days subsequently returning dwelling.
- Mefloquine can exist an choice if you are pregnant and in your second or third trimester while traveling. Information technology is considered a condom drug to use before, during, and after travel.
Tell your md if y'all take any allergies or medication sensitivities. Your doctor will consider your medical history and decide the best course of action for malaria preventatives.
At that place are no approved malaria vaccines, and we are currently in the starting time stages of clinical trials for a vaccine.
Additional Tips For Preventing Malaria
In addition to medication, in that location are other things y'all tin can exercise on your own to assistance keep yous safety while traveling. Some actions are basic, and yous can accept intendance of these on your ain before your trip, including:
- Insect repellent: Pack lots of insect repellant. Make certain your bug spray contains a loftier concentration of DEET — the chemical that protects against malaria. Reapply every few hours for ameliorate protection.
- Treat your clothes with insecticide: This will double your protection and go along mosquitos off your article of clothing.
- Pack long-sleeved shirts and pants: If you're spending a lot of fourth dimension outdoors during your trip, pack clothes that encompass your arms and legs. The less peel yous expose to the elements, the lower your risk for malaria.
- Mosquito net: Pack a mosquito net to drapery over your bed while you sleep. This is particularly important in tropical destinations where mosquitos are more agile afterwards dark.
- Avoid rainy season travel: Mosquitos thrive in moist, humid environments. So try not to travel during the rainy season if you can.
Plan Smart, Travel Smart
Plan for your trip every bit far in advance as you can. Information technology is ideal if y'all tin can start taking your malaria pills for travel every bit early every bit possible. If you stick to the advice of your physician, take your travel malaria pills as prescribed, wear protective clothing, and use a mosquito net while y'all sleep, yous will be well protected from malaria.
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