Malaria in the Dominican Republic

My husband and I are going to Dominican in October 2005 and I have read so many different reports on taking malaria tablets. Please Advise. We have been told that a good tablet to take with little or no side effects is Malarone -I am just concerned that we are only there for a week and are worried about the side effects of the tablets.

There has been no reports of new maalria cases in the Dominican Republic for several months. Oyr view is that it is most probably safe to travel to tourist resorts without malaria tablets. If you chose tablets, chloroquine will be adequate, and has few side effects. Malarone will be efficient too, but is not necessary to an area where chloroquine is sufficient.



Malaria in Beliza

We will be traveling to Belize City in May and I was told to check into Malaria medication. What and where will I need to get these meds?

There is a high risk in the entire country so you need prophylaxis and we suggest chloroquine once a week from one week before until 4 weeks after leaving Belize.



MMR and travel outside the UK

My son age 21 is going to the Dominican Republic in february 2005 for 7 days,he has been advised on his vaccinations and has them next week ,my question to you is ,he is also due to have the MMR vaccinations as there has been an increase in mumps in young adults age 16-23 in our area,Lancashire England. Will the vaccinations interact with one another or is it ok to have them all in a short space of time ? .

I understand that your son has not previously had MMR immunisations. If he had, he has life-long protection against measles, mumps and rubella and do not need to worry. If he has not has MMR, it would be advisable to have at least one MMR before leaving and a second one after a couple of months. This will give him protection for the rest of his life.



Malaria in Argentina

My son of 16 has just retured from Argentina and told me that he stop takening his Malaria tables because the local people told him he did not need them. He was out there for 4 week and only took 8 days of table while he was there, he did take the tablets the week before he went.I am now very worry and do not know what to do if he should start taking then again or to go to see my GP.

The is almost no malaria in Argentna, but a very small risk at the most nothrn border to Bolivia and Paraguay. Whether your son has been at risk tehrefore depend on where he went. Even in these areas the risk is so small that we never recommend malaria prophylaxis to any part of Argentina.



Ecuador and Peru for 6 months

My partner and I will be travelling in Ecuador and Peru for 6 months. Is it recommended that malaria treatment is taken continuously for the whole 6 months, or can the treatment be broken ? The reason we ask is because we have been told that treatment is not required at altitudes above 1500 metres and some of our trip will be in mountainous areas. Also, does continuous use have any affect on the performance of the contraceptive pill?

Malaria in Peru is only in the Amazonas and in Eucuador in the Amazonas and the pacific coast. It therefore seems likely, depending on your route, that it is not necessary, to take malaria pills continuously during the six months. Some pills are taken 4 weeks after leaving a amalrios area (chloroquine, paludrine and lariam) whereas malarone is only taken 7 days after. The drugs mentioned above have no effect on contraceptive pills.



Aruba

DO I NEED ANY VACCINATIONS TO TRAVEL TO ARUBA / VENEZUELA AND IF SO HOW EARLY BEFORE TRAVELING

We recommend vaccination against hepatitis A.For Venezuela you need a Yellow fever vaccination if travelling to the south (Amazonas and Angel Falls).



Malaria prophylaxis in the Amazonas

For a 4- week trip to the Amazonian basin, my 17- yr.old son wants to take anti-malarial precautions. Is Malarone or doxycycline best? Can I buy this direct from a retail source?

Both Malarone and Doxycycline can be used in the Amazonas. Malarone is more convenient, because you only need to take it for 7 days after leaving the area compared to 4 weeks for Doxycycline. The two drugs are beleived to be equally effective.



Malaria in the Dominican Republic

Do I need to take malaria tablets when I travel to the Dominican Republic in june 2004. i have heard from some people that you do and other people you do not. I will be staying on the north coast in the resort of Sosua.

No it is not necessary. There is no malaria in the Dominican Republic, but there is in Haiti, so you you may need it if you also go to haiti and especially if you spend some nights there.