View Full Version : Lyme disease and Malaria
golegend37
04-19-2009, 02:55
With the presence of mosquitoes and ticks, is it recommended to get lyme disease and/or malaria antibiotics/treatments ahead of time and carry it in your first aid kit?
fiddlehead
04-19-2009, 06:27
Don't know about Lyme (although in 3 thru hikes of the AT, i never had it)
But I'd say no on the malaria.
I just learned from someone on here that malaria has been found in the gulf states.
The AT doesn't go through a state that touches the Gulf and I really don't believe that anyone has gotten malaria on the AT.
On the other hand, i like your thoughts as i travel a lot in countries where malaria is found, (and now live in one ) and the Americans are laughed at a bit with their malaria pills they take weekly as a preventative and makes them sick. (they don't work anyway).
Most experienced travelers either wait to worry about it until they get it, or some carry medicine to take once they are sure they have malaria. (I've met 2 doing this)
I would consider the life of the medication under high temperature and humidity conditions. They might not be effective after extended time under those conditions.
The treatment I was given for Lyme disease was prescribed, too, so I don't suppose you can get it over the counter. I have not had any symptoms since the treatment back in the early 1990s. Doxycycline (sp?) is what I took.
john gault
04-19-2009, 08:32
There really is no effective preventative treatment for Lyme Disease and Malaria is not a concern in the U.S. However, Encephalitis (http://www.umm.edu/patiented/articles/what_causes_encephalitis_000096_2.htm) is a small concern. I heard of a fatal case in Mass. in 2006 when I was up there (Not on the AT).
john gault
04-19-2009, 08:55
...On the other hand, i like your thoughts as i travel a lot in countries where malaria is found, (and now live in one ) and the Americans are laughed at a bit with their malaria pills they take weekly as a preventative and makes them sick. (they don't work anyway)...
According to this http://www.pbs.org/gunsgermssteel/variables/malaria.html Thailand has pretty much done away with malaria (last sentence at bottom of link).
fiddlehead
04-19-2009, 11:49
According to this http://www.pbs.org/gunsgermssteel/variables/malaria.html Thailand has pretty much done away with malaria (last sentence at bottom of link).
I hope it is soon eradicated here.
Did a quick search and found this (http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=77949) article from a year ago saying there were 51,000 cases in 2004.
Dengue is much more prevalent for sure. When i had it, and went to the clinic up the street, the doctor there knew all about it as he had just gotten over it himself.
On the other hand, i like your thoughts as i travel a lot in countries where malaria is found, (and now live in one ) and the Americans are laughed at a bit with their malaria pills they take weekly as a preventative and makes them sick. (they don't work anyway).A bit off-topic, and I'm not sure where you are living (SA? Africa? Asia?) but what is your philosophy about:
Hep A
Hep B
Thyphoid, Diptheria?
I think the best approach is to minimize the more serious risks but not try and live in a bubble. I'm not sure what this means in practice. Depends on where you hike. Here I carry deet but don't use it unless the bugs are really bad. I don't mind a half dozen or so mosquito or blackfly bites every day. I haven't found a tick on me yet but never really looked that hard. We are starting to get cases of West Nile and Lyme disease though, so I am trying to learn more, especially for my daughter, but for myself I have no desire to stop rolling around in the dirt and take whatever I get. I suppose if there is another serious case here in New Brunswick it may as well be some 47 year old burnout like myself than some 8 year old. So I'm sort of somewhere in the middle between ostrich mode and canary mode.
john gault
04-19-2009, 19:19
I hope it is soon eradicated here.
Did a quick search and found this (http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=77949) article from a year ago saying there were 51,000 cases in 2004.
Dengue is much more prevalent for sure. When i had it, and went to the clinic up the street, the doctor there knew all about it as he had just gotten over it himself.
That's what I get for reading a PBS BS article:sun
For ticks, use Permethrin and Deet, tuck your pants legs into your socks (sure, you'll look silly :p) or use mesh bug clothing in the summer.
Or not.....
There's a fine line between too careful and carefree.
I don't know what the experts claim, but I'm not convinced ticks are discouraged based upon personal experience. Case in point, this afternoon I picked several off my pants which had enough DEET sprayed on them no more than an hour beforehand to feel somewhat damp.
fiddlehead
04-19-2009, 22:40
A bit off-topic, and I'm not sure where you are living (SA? Africa? Asia?) but what is your philosophy about:
Hep A
Hep B
Thyphoid, Diptheria?
I live in Southeast Asia (Thailand) now, but have done a lot of traveling in Nepal, and a bit in India and Tibet, China, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
When i first started traveling, like most first timers, i was a bit scared, a bit naive (sp?) and took all precautions. I learned a lot over the years.
Mainly i learned that the most experienced travelers don't do much of anything and the first timers take too many precautions.
A strong immune system is important.
Hep A, TB, pink eye, dengue, are a few of the things that I have had or traveled with friend who have had.
It is my opinion that taking drugs as a preventative for every disease that can be found in an area that you plan to travel, can do worse than some of the diseases. THis was first pointed out to me on my first trip to Nepal in 1988 when i would get sick every Wednesday. I was taking Larium (I think that's what it was called) because the CDC in Atlanta recommended it. I ran into people who said that it was making me sick and no one they knew takes this bad drug. I asked what they do and one told me his father was a doctor and recommended that he carry the drug (i think he said Fansadar) that you take once you get malaria. That sounded like good advice to me. Especially as i hadn't met anyone with any stories of getting it yet.
I am not into taking drugs. I believe that many of them are bad for you. My Mother (85 years old) was taking 22 a day and had all kinds of problems. We got her off all but one and now she is doing WAY WAY better. Is that proof? No, but it says a lot to most all in my family.
I think the drug companies are out to make money. And they do it with the governments help and scare tactics. Anyway, you got me started.
I have now traveled to 46 countries, have lived in Asia for 6 or 7 years and don't take much of anything drugwise. (i do take aspirin for hangovers and echinacea then i feel swollen glands or a cold coming on)
I try to eat right (Thai food is amazingly healthy and we eat fresh fish almost every day caught in clean waters), and i exercise at least 3 times a week. (right now more cause i'm training for a marathon in June)
I hope that answers your question and sorry if i hijacked a thread (again)
travelin jack
04-19-2009, 22:56
I was looking forward to seeing you, fiddlehead, at Trail Days. Thailand huh. Guess not. Thailand's on the list though...got another friend in Vietnam. So maybe I can make it a double.
travelin jack