New Prevention Step

• After some research done, it has been calculated over more than 10 000 travellers were reported to get infected with malaria disease after returning home. But there are some unreported cases which has made the number incerase up to 30 000 people.
• Any idea why such thing could happen?
• never bother how worst malaria could
• simply taking whichever drug they like without prescription from doctor. REMEMBER!!different malaria infected places have different level of resistancy.
• travellers not frequently take drugs->important to those who stays more than 6 months
• most of them are non-immune & often exposed to late or wrong malaria diagnosis when returning to their home country
• FYI,in most cases malaria fever occur within 3 months of leaving a malaria-endemic area->medical emergency treatment is needed
• But no need to worry, follow this steps and you should be safe:
• do some homework on country that you are about to visit
• see your doctor to take some precautions needed
• going out? plan your time, try to avoid dusk and dawn as mosquito are nocturnal (active time->dusk and dawn)
• plan your schedule, not to visit during at the end of the rain season or soon after
  
  
• For those who going to Sabah, below regimens are recommend:
  

• FOLLOW A LARIAM (MEFLOQUINE HYDROCHOLORIDE) REGIMEN:

  Take one tablet of LARIAM 250mg ONCE a week. Start one week before entering the malarious area, continue weekly during your stay and continue for four weeks after leaving. (Lariam should not be taken by persons suffering from cardiac diseases, liver or kidney disorders, epilepsy, psychiatric disorders, pregnant women and children under 30 lbs/15 kg in weight.)

• FOLLOW A MALARONE (ATORVAQUONE + PROGUANIL) REGIMEN

  Take ONE tablet daily (250mg Atorvaquone +100mg Proguanil). Start 1 to 2 days before entering the malarious area, continue daily during your stay, and continue for 7 days after leaving. MALARONE should be taken at the same time every day with food or milk.

• FOLLOW A DOXYCYCLINE (VIBRAMYCIN) REGIMEN

  Take ONE tablet daily of 100mg Doxycycline (Vibramycin). Start one day before entering malarious area, continue daily during your stay, and continue for four weeks after leaving.

  When taking Doxycycline avoid exposure to direct sunlight and use sun screen with protection against long range ultraviolet radiation (UVA) to minimize risk of photosensitive reaction. Drink large amounts of water to avoid esophageal and stomach irritation.

  Doxycycline should not be taken by persons with known intolerance to tetracyclines, pregnant women and children under eight years of age.
  

• ANTI-MALARIAL REGIMEN FOR PERSONS WHO CANNOT FOLLOW ONE OF THE ABOVE REGIMEN

  Take Chloroquine (Aralen) in weekly doses of 500mg (300mg base). Start one week before entering malarious area, continue weekly during your stay and continue for four weeks after leaving. It is imperative to use a mosquito bed net to avoid the bite of the nocturnal Anopheles mosquito. Use repellents and insecticides.

  Persons following a Chloroquine regimen must be aware these drugs are much less effective than Lariam, Malarone or Doxycycline. They must seek immediate medical attention in case of flu-like symptoms - fever, headache, nausea, general malaise - appearing about seven days or later after entering malarious area.

  Persons traveling to or working in remote areas where medical attention cannot be sought within 24 hours should consult with a specialist before leaving their home country for advice on possible self-treatment regimen in case of a malaria breakthrough attack.

• For people who live at endemic area such as Sabah and Sarawak, they are advised to possess and use insecticide-treated nets, and use intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) among pregnant women (PW) where national policy indicates. Other than that, don't go out of house when it is dawn and dusk (time where mosquitoes actively looking for blood).