How to protect yourself from malaria in Vietnam? Remember: "LARIAM" and other ways

Malaria today is perhaps the most dangerous infectious disease in the world, claiming millions of lives every year around the globe. Almost 40% of the world's population is under constant threat of infection with this disease, because the malarial plasmodium (the causative agent of the disease) is transmitted by the bite of an Anopheles mosquito, whose range is incredibly wide - from Siberia to the coast of South Africa.

Malaria and disease risk for travelers in selected countries

Travelers visiting poor tropical countries bear special risks. However Vietnam, having acquired the status of a well-known tourist center, took care of radical measures to prevent the spread of malaria, because at the moment this infection is rare in the country.

On the other hand, no travel agency will give a 100% guarantee of protection. But from an interesting trip, I want to bring new impressions, souvenirs dear to my heart, but not a serious parasitic disease.

So, you need to take care of your own health into your own hands. To date, the best way to prevent malaria can be called drug "Lariam", the active substance of which is the compound mefloquine.

"Lariam" is accepted weekly, with the first dose to be taken one week prior to arrival in Vietnam. Since malaria is a disease with intermittent symptoms and a long incubation in the host body, the drug should be continued for another 4 weeks after returning home.

Recommendations for taking Lariam

The dosage and frequency of taking the drug may have its own specifics depending on the history, the presence of chronic diseases, cases of the use of certain drugs, as well as reduced immunity.

GENERAL RULES FOR RECEPTION OF LARIAM:

• The drug can be prescribed to both adults and children.
• People weighing over 45 kg should take 1 tablet weekly.
• If the body weight is 30-45 kg, then three quarters of the tablet is taken.
• For children weighing less than 10 kg, the exact dosage is prepared by pharmacists.

The active substance "Lariam" is synthesized from quinine, therefore it has pungent and unpleasant taste. The tablet should be swallowed without chewing, and for those who are not able to swallow it immediately, it is worth grinding the tablet into powder and dissolving in a small amount of liquid - milk, water, or juice.

More ways to prevent malaria in Vietnam

It is undeniable that today effective prevention is, first of all, antimalarial drugs and repellents, mosquito nets and other means of protection against mosquito bites.

As they say, Lariam "rules", but he, and other traditional antimalarial drugs, such as malarol or doxycycline, used to prevent and treat malaria, do not provide complete protection from the disease.

It is very important to use repellents, i.e. products that protect and reduce the number of mosquito bites. Most of the available repellents contain a chemical compound (like DEET) that binds to butyric acid and makes us less "attractive" to blood-sucking insects.

Repellents are issued spray, lotion, ointment or cream. Before use, carefully read the instructions for use. It is important to carefully spread the repellent over the surface of the body to avoid bites outside the protective surface.

Some people mention essential oils that are said to repel mosquitoes (cloves, bergamot, lavender, mint, eucalyptus, cedar, lemon balm, garlic, or thiamine), but here you should be a little careful not to consider them the only mosquito repellent.

It is recommended to wear bright clothes and cover as much of the body as possible. We are talking about long trousers, long-sleeved shirts and, in principle, loose-fitting clothes.

It is worth remembering that with excessive sweating, the effectiveness of the repellent is short-lived and it should be reapplied - even several times a day. An interesting fact is that mosquitoes do not exist at altitudes above 1500 m above sea level and are difficult to find in places where there is increased air movement.

This means that in a room with the air conditioner turned on, in the air flow, the mosquito will not covet us. It's like a beach holiday when a pleasant breeze blows over you.

On long and interesting journeys, consider everything, do not forget to consult your doctor and be healthy!