Malaria in Sri Lanka?
Aug 27, 2006 | 2:32 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: PHL
Posts: 877
Disclaimer: I am a medical student, not a doctor.
Are you going to be actually out in the jungle, or staying mainly indoors? If the latter, you'll probably be OK without. But you should talk to your doctor. You'd need a prescription anyway if you do get the tablets.
I travel to Central America a couple times a year on surgical service trips and generally take chloroquine. Many of the doctors who come along think it's silly to do so because we spend virtually the entire time indoors.
I've never gone on antimalarial prophylaxis when I visit (for weeks at a time) the little forest-surrounded villages in India where my family is from, and never had malaria.
Also:
http://www.cdc.gov/travel/indianrg.htm
Of note, CDC doesn't think chloroquine (the most common antimalarial) is effective in the area, so you'd need another less friendly drug like mefloquine or doxycycline. Again, talk to your doctor.
Are you going to be actually out in the jungle, or staying mainly indoors? If the latter, you'll probably be OK without. But you should talk to your doctor. You'd need a prescription anyway if you do get the tablets.
I travel to Central America a couple times a year on surgical service trips and generally take chloroquine. Many of the doctors who come along think it's silly to do so because we spend virtually the entire time indoors.
I've never gone on antimalarial prophylaxis when I visit (for weeks at a time) the little forest-surrounded villages in India where my family is from, and never had malaria.
Also:
http://www.cdc.gov/travel/indianrg.htm
Of note, CDC doesn't think chloroquine (the most common antimalarial) is effective in the area, so you'd need another less friendly drug like mefloquine or doxycycline. Again, talk to your doctor.
Aug 27, 2006 | 9:05 pm
#3
Original Poster
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: RSE
Programs: AA Exp|VA Platinum
Posts: 15,914
Originally Posted by ttjoseph
Disclaimer: I am a medical student, not a doctor.
Are you going to be actually out in the jungle, or staying mainly indoors? If the latter, you'll probably be OK without. But you should talk to your doctor. You'd need a prescription anyway if you do get the tablets.
I travel to Central America a couple times a year on surgical service trips and generally take chloroquine. Many of the doctors who come along think it's silly to do so because we spend virtually the entire time indoors.
I've never gone on antimalarial prophylaxis when I visit (for weeks at a time) the little forest-surrounded villages in India where my family is from, and never had malaria.
Also:
http://www.cdc.gov/travel/indianrg.htm
Of note, CDC doesn't think chloroquine (the most common antimalarial) is effective in the area, so you'd need another less friendly drug like mefloquine or doxycycline. Again, talk to your doctor.
Are you going to be actually out in the jungle, or staying mainly indoors? If the latter, you'll probably be OK without. But you should talk to your doctor. You'd need a prescription anyway if you do get the tablets.
I travel to Central America a couple times a year on surgical service trips and generally take chloroquine. Many of the doctors who come along think it's silly to do so because we spend virtually the entire time indoors.
I've never gone on antimalarial prophylaxis when I visit (for weeks at a time) the little forest-surrounded villages in India where my family is from, and never had malaria.
Also:
http://www.cdc.gov/travel/indianrg.htm
Of note, CDC doesn't think chloroquine (the most common antimalarial) is effective in the area, so you'd need another less friendly drug like mefloquine or doxycycline. Again, talk to your doctor.
Sep 2, 2006 | 5:29 pm
#4
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Posts: 311
Sri Lanka
Many areas of Sri Lanka, including Colombo, are reckoned to have a low risk of malaria. I travel to Colombo and have been advised that anti-malarials are not needed. However your planning should be based not only where you mostly are, but also places you visit for a shorter time.
Sep 6, 2006 | 8:33 am
#5
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: country Western Australia
Programs: QF WP(LTS) - AA LTG(1MM)
Posts: 2,857
Last I checked here in Perth, whole blood donations are restricted for a period of one year following a trip to anywhere in Sri Lanka. Local vacation medicine sources recommend doxycycline two days prior to and fourteen days following.
I follow the guidelines....... YMMV -- See a physician to determine if the guidelines are appropriate for you.
Happy wandering
Fred
I follow the guidelines....... YMMV -- See a physician to determine if the guidelines are appropriate for you.
Happy wandering
Fred