What measures does someone take if they were to go to live in a malaria risk area?

Question

I know if you go for a trip, you take antimalarial pills and put up with the side effects while you are there. What if someone intended to live there permanently? Do they have to take pills every day for the rest of their life?

Answer 1

only if you dont want to get really sick from malaria.3 days of falciparum can kill you without.

Answer 2

Malaria is infection with any of 4 species of Plasmodium. Symptoms are fever, which may be periodic, chills, sweating, hemolytic anemia, and splenomegaly. Diagnosis is by seeing Plasmodium in a peripheral blood smear. Treatment and prophylaxis depend on the species and drug sensitivity and include chloroquine, quinine, atovaquone and proguanil, mefloquine, doxycycline, and artemisinin derivatives. Patients infected with P. vivax and P. ovale also receive primaquine.

Most people living in malaria-prevalent areas have acquired some immunity to the disease. Visitors will not have immunity, and will need to take preventive medications. Even pregnant women should take preventive medications because the risk to the fetus from the medication is less than the risk of acquiring a congenital infection.

People on anti-malarial medications may still become infected. Avoid mosquito bites by wearing protective clothing over the arms and legs, using screens on windows, and using insect repellent.

Chloroquine has been the drug of choice for protection from malaria. With emerging resistance, it is now only indicated for use in areas where Plasmodium vivax, P. oval, and P. malariae are present. Falciparum malaria is becoming increasingly resistant to anti-malarial medications.

For travelers headed for areas Falciparum malaria is known to occur, there are several options for antimalarial treatment, including mefloquine, atovaquone/Proguanil, and doxycycline.

Travelers can call the CDC for information on types of malaria in a given geographical area, preventive drugs, and times of the season to avoid travel.

Answer 3

Some people take a B vitamin suppliment and that helps and also quinine reduces the chances of infection...its in Tonic water....sounds random and it is, but my mums a nurse and says its true...other than that, I think you may have to take the pills for however long you stay there...as lots of locals can get infected too....but they have no choice and often no money to buy the pills....some are born with natural immunity if many generations have lived there, but even then, its def. not 100%