Malaria

[blue2]

Hi, My friend is going to Koh Chang, Thailand this coming January for two weeks and is adament that she and her boyfriend do not need to take malaria tablets. Will she be at HIGH risk if she decides not to take them? One of the main reasons she doesn't want to take them is that they will be trying for a baby while out there (it's a honeymoon) and has been told that she would have to wait 6 months after she gets back for the malaria tablets to be out of her system. Thanks for your help with this!

[Ed Strong]

Try this website:

http://www.malariahotspots.co.uk/output/Page1. asp

[blue2]

That's Ed, that's very helpful, I'll pass it on.

[zaskar]

I've spent a total of 6 weeks - on 3 different occasions - on Koh Chang... always during Nov, Dec and Jan... before I went the first time I heard the horror stories of not taking malaria pills... I didn't bother and got bitten hardly at all (the mozzies are much more numerous between March - June I was told) and I was fine on my return... the second and third times I was on malaria pills anyway as I was also going up to the jungly North Western corner of Thailand... It's all about personal risk and what you feel happy with... It's true about the malaria pills and pregnancy thing though... maybe your friends can just 'practice' plenty whilst there and get down to the serious business of procreation on their return!!!...