MALARIA IN TRAVELERS - EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PREVENTION

Malaria continues to be a serious health risk for travellers. The mala ria parasites which infect humans can only be naturally transmitted by female mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles. Travellers to malaria endem ic areas require detailed advice on appropriate chemoprophylaxis again st malaria and personal protection against mosquito bites. The decisio n on an appropriate chemoprophylaxis or standby therapy regimen should reflect the malaria risk, pattern of drug resistance, and the toxicit y of available drugs. Currently travellers encounter a number of probl ems in protecting themselves against malaria. Advice is often both ina dequate and inaccurate; and all the recommended drug regimens are asso ciated with minor, and occasionally major adverse reactions. Because o f poor compliance to drug prophylaxis and to reduce the impact of drug resistance, protection against mosquitoes has a critical role in prot ecting travellers from malaria. Compliance to methods of personal prot ection not only reduces the malaria risk but also limits the nuisance and loss of sleep from biting insects.