Malaria Prevention

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Malaria Prevention

• Dietsmann HSE Awareness Campaign

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• WHAT IS MALARIA ?
• A febrile illness caused by a parasite
  transmitted by mosquitoes.
• There are four types of Plasmodium parasites
• FALCIPARUM - Very common in West Africa
  Untreated, it can kill you
• Vivax causes milder disease and unless correctly
  treated can hide in the liver causing malaria
  relapses many months and even years later
• Plasmodium Malariae and Ovale are less important
  species in West Africa

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What happens when you get bitten by an infected
mosquito?  
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Malaria Prevention  Saves Lives Malaria kills
an African child every 30 seconds! More than
1,000,000 deaths a year! If diagnosed and
treated correctly and without delay, recovery is
complete
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Mind before Madness
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• Malaria risk awareness
• Initial symptoms
• Fever
• Sweats
• Chills
• Headache
• Body aches
• Muscular pain
• Nausea and vomiting

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• Malaria risk awareness
• Cerebral malaria is a consequence
• of severe malaria with supplementary signs
• Irritability
• Confusion
• Convulsions
• Coma

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• Mosquito bite prevention
• Two lines of defence against mosquito bites
• Mosquito control programmes
• Personal protection

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• Mosquito bite prevention
• How can mosquitoes be eliminated?
• The aim is to reduce the mosquito population by
  destroying larvae and by killing adult
  mosquitoes.
• Measures include
• Draining of swamps, ditches
• Eliminating standing water (keep plants away
  from vicinity of patios and doors, remove or
  cover outside containers that can hold water...)
• Preventing mosquito access to living quarters
  (window and door screens, plumbing
  fixtures...)

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Mosquito bite prevention How can I best protect
myself?

• Personal protection is aimed at avoiding
• mosquitoes and minimizing being bitten
• Use bed nets treated with Permethrin insecticide
  (use correctly and check for holes!)
• Close doors and windows.
• Use air conditioning when available.
• Indoor residual spraying (IRS).

inside
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Mosquito bite prevention How can I best protect
myself?

• Limit outdoor activities from dusk to dawn
  whenever possible
• Wear long sleeves and Permethrin-treated shirts
  and trousers
• Use insect repellent on exposed skin, minimal 30
  DEET

outside
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Take anti-malarial drugs
Mosquito bites cannot be completely
avoided. Regular medication is required to
prevent/suppress malaria. Adequately and promptly
treated, malaria is a curable disease.
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Take anti-malarial drugs

• The selection of drugs involves an analysis of
  risks and benefits based on several
  considerations
• Prevalence and type of malaria resistance.
• Duration and place of stay.
• Intensity of mosquito contact.
• Age (adult versus child) and state of health
  (pregnant/lactating women...).
• Past experience with the recommended drug.

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• Take anti-malarial drugs
• For local population
• Malaria Chemoprophylaxis is not recommended for
  semi-immune employees.
• In areas of high transmission of P. falciparum,
  at least one of the two core vector control
  interventions should cover the risk
• Long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs).
• Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS).

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• Take anti-malarial drugs
• For local population
• To protect pregnant women Intermittent
  preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp) is
  recommended.
• Children under 5 years of age should
  therefore be treated on the basis of a clinical
  diagnosis of malaria.

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Take anti-malarial drugs

• For Expatriates and Visitors
• Recommended treatment
• Atovaquone-proguanil combination (Malarone)
• Mefloquine (Lariam 250)
• Doxycycline (Doxypalu)

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Take anti-malarial drugs
How do I determine which drug protection is best
for me? The treatment must be prescribed by a
doctor who is familiar with tropical diseases in
order to prescribe you the appropriate drugs.

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Take anti-malarial drugs
Think carefully before making your decision as to
whether or not to take the preventive
medicine.   The risk of side effects is always
smaller than the risk of malaria, which is DEATH!
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See a doctor urgently...

• ...if you suspect malaria!
• Symptoms may arise one week or more after
  entering a malaria risk area.
• Symptoms may develop up to 3 months after
  departure.
• Immediate treatment is essential.
• Even if you are taking preventive treatment
  be aware, ensure early diagnosis.

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Mind before Madness