Читать книгу (101 things to know when you go) ON SAFARI IN AFRICA - Patrick Brakspear - Страница 31

Malaria is a common and potentially deadly infection in hot, tropical areas of the world. The disease is caused by a parasite introduced into the bloodstream from the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito. When properly treated, a patient with malaria can expect a complete recovery.

Firstly, check with your Africa travel specialist whether you will be travelling through any malaria areas on your itinerary. Not all, but many of the safari lodges and camps are likely to be in such areas. If you are travelling with young children then you may already have discussed this with your travel agent and chosen areas which are malaria-free.

There are several preventative medications to combat malaria but it is important to check with your local GP or travel clinic as to the correct one for where you are going. Be sure to start taking your malarial prophylactics well before you leave home. A small percentage of people can have adverse reactions to certain brands – it is best to find out before you leave and not while on safari! And don’t forget that you need to continue to take the prescribed dosage for at least 4 weeks after returning home (check the instructions).

Just as important as preventative prophylactics is to take active measures to protect yourself from being bitten at all. This is definitely the most effective means of avoiding malaria – if they don’t bite you then you can’t get malaria! Generally mosquitoes start feeding at dusk – so, from just before dusk, clothing should be worn that covers the arms and legs. In addition, a mosquito repellent should be applied on exposed areas. It is a good practice to spray inside your tent before you zip up on the way to dinner – by the time you return the smell would have dissipated and all the mosquitoes that were lurking inside will be dead.

Pregnant women (and children) are especially vulnerable to malarial infection. In fact, pregnant women are twice as attractive to malaria-carrying mosquitoes as non-pregnant women. This is mostly due to a warmer skin surface and the fact that pregnant women exhale a greater volume of air. Be more cautious.