malaria drugs???

hi we will be travelling to sosua area in one month and now am becoming concerned about malaria after reading new recommendations. do you think this is necessary. and how do i go about getting medications for this. i guess i could call the local health units. any suggestions.thanks in advance for answering

If you go to Sosua you have nothing to worry about where Malaria is concerned.

Only resorts in the Altagracia Province, which is in the Southeast corner of the country and includes the Bavoro/Punta Cana area, have reported recent malaria cases. Normally the Dominican Republic is nearly free of malaria and prophylaxis is generally not recommended. Dominican doctors find prevention of malaria unecessary even in the Altagracia Province. However, American (CDC) and European health authorities now recommend Chloroquine prior to going to the Altagracia Province.

There are still no recommendations to prevent malaria in the rest of the country - including the North coast - except for areas bordering Haiti. You can click on the link below to see the latest recommendations from Centers for Disease Control.

Enjoy your trip.

Regards, Susanne

Susanne, I am going to the Bavaro Beach area in Feb./00. I've read the cdc blusheet. How often is it updated? It says low frequency in the resorts, who should you believe?

If you are in doubt, always ask your own doctor. He knows you best. You can also get in contact with the health authorities in your country.

As for the CDC they still recommend malaria prophylaxis when going to the Bavaro area but I believe they monitor the situation closely and may change those recommendations when they find it safe to do so. You will just have to check.

Regards, Susanne

Regarding Malaria, etc.

I am from Canada and telephoned the local "travel health advisorary" board on the sudgestion of my Dr..... After an hour of trying to find the correct dept. (goverment agencies *sigh*) I was asked will you be in "only" the resort or in rural areas as well. I said I would be in rural areas as well, I didn't want to just limit myself to resort bars ). So the young lady did a "hmmmmm" and informed me I should get immunizied,vacinated,chlorinated,and perhaps sterilized... ok I might be stretching it a bit here.. but she did say get pills for Typhoid, (didn't that go out with the Bubonic Plauge?) A shot for Hepatitis "A" and chloroquin (sp)(for Malaria they got different kinds??? cool). So after deligently informing my dear Dr. of my delightful findings he said well we might as well get you the "combo" for Heppatitis "B" ( oh baby a 2 for one!!!) and he also sudgested that I also get a "booster shot" for Tetnus.

So I got the booster on the spot (ouch) and ordered the rest of the drugs, (aren't drugs supposed to be fun LOL) If I do go thru with all this I think I will be able to carelessly swing thru the jungle from vines laughing at the leppar colony on my way. My only fear will be snorkleling and having all the water rush in from all my new holes. Your (semi-put-off) fellow traveler Stu

I am also from Canada and travel to the D.R. 2 - 3 times a year (2 times 3 weeks and 1 time 3 months)and living out of the resorts. Me own doctor and the Centre de Médecine de voyage du Québec (St-Luc Hospital) always recommanded me the following immunizations.

- Tetanus & diphteria, Polio (which they say we should have even without travelling out of Canada).

- Typhoid.

- Hepatitis B.

- Hepatitis A.

- Pills against Malaria (Aralen). Even when there were no Malaria case reported in the D.R. the doctors said there were some in Haiti and the mosquitoes don't stop at the border. Plus the disadvantages of taking the pills were nothing compared to the Malaria disadvantages.

How long can one continue to safely take anti-malarial medicine?

What do you mean? safely for your health or safely that the immunization will work. I'm leaving next March and I won't forget to talk about it to my doctor on my next visit in February.

I was just told this morning that the Heppatitis "B" shot can be given along with Heppatitis "A" ; but it takes 3 different shots spread over 6 months for it to be effective. Although, a one time only Heppatitis "A" shot alone fixes you up right away.

I was also told, not to panic - and from my experiences in the DR over the last two years, I've lived in other places than just a resort and never, never had a problem, scare or otherwise!

Have a great trip and enjoy this beautiful country!

Safe, as in how long can one take this medication without causing harm from the drug itself? What about visitors that will visit for a month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year? I am assuming that it will continue to work as long as one takes it.

I also read that anti-malarial drugs are not 100% effective, and that you can still get Malaria even after taking proper dosages of prophylaxsis:

http://www.travelclinic.co.za/html/malaria.html -> "No method of malaria prevention is one hundred per cent effective, and there is still a small chance of contracting malaria despite the taking of anti-malaria medication and the adoption of personal protection methods."

Jim Hinsch JimHinsch@CSI.COM