RealSurf Surfers' Forum

Seeing as this is now travel and health I'll ask a question which relates to both.

Does anyone have any current info on malaria in the islands east of Bali?

I'll be in that region during march and will be doing alot of overland travel and sleeping in cars or make shift structures so just wanted to know has there been any reported cases this wet season and what meds people have been advised to take as a precaution. This also goes for dengue and other hideous mozzie bourne diseases.

Thanks in advance

Hi gibber there is no way I'd go to any of the eastern islands in the wet without anti malarials, there are the normal strands Vivax and Ovale but there is also the killer malaria falciparum! Which I had and Almost died of in New Guinea. fortunately I was back and had the top tropical disease doc on my case , I survived!
If you are going overland and you get the bad strain, you are going to need medical emergency evacuation or burial, and from remote corners of Indo a tough get out.

There are currently two types of medical "preventative" ( bear in mind that neither is 100% effective )
One is Doxycyclin an antibiotic that hopefully helps stop the malarial parasite getting into the red blood cells but causes sun sensitivity BTW doxycyclin is of little use as a general antibiotic where reef cuts or injury is concerned.
The other preventative is Larium I don't have much detail in regard to this as it is favored by the American Army but has quite some considerable side effects.
I would go and talk to your doctor or a travel wise doctor as all of your concerns are very real.

Typhoid,Dengue etc are more prevalent then, as are waterborne diseases.
have all the shots,including tetanus,hepatitis etc.
Like I suggest these are all things to take all sensible precautions against.
Be aware too that some hotel or places you stay might well swear on the Quran that there is no malaria to ensure you're business.
long sleeves, long trousers, high grade mossie. Repellant.
have fun

Thanks mate,
I've used both larium and doxy in the past and now only use doxy as the larium caused too many nightmares. The sun sensitivity issue isn't to bad for me in Indo even though I have skin which a Scotsman would be proud of.
Can you ask you girlfriend whether there have been many reported cases so far this wet season?
Cheers mate

Also, there is a Department of Health circular that there is a Legionella pneumonia cluster in Bali, so if you get a cough, fevers, aches and pains and have been to Bali and aren't getting better, then just keep this in mind, (most of these will be just normal old upper respiratory tract virus infection)

cheers mate

cheers guard. Is she on Sumbawa?