Hello, I am going to go climbing to the Mt. Kenya in September this year. We start in Nairobi, take a car to Nanyuki, climb, maybe we visit also Mt. Meru and then we go back by car to Nairobi.

So I would like to know how much is the chance to get Malaria on this trip. As I know we are always about 1800m. And in Austria there are diffrent opinions about the height where Malaria exists. I had do decide if I will take only an Stand-By Prohylaxa with me (like Malarone) or is it better to use a normal Prohylaxe like Lariam. (there are maybe Adverse Reactions like nausea, vomiting, and dizziness, loss of balance, headache, somnolence, sleep disorders (insomnia, abnormal dreams) Thx for your help Christian

-- Christian M. Lugschitz (c.lugschitz@aon.at), May 14, 2002

Answers

Christian

If you're just going from Nairobi to Mt Kenya, there is little /no risk of Malaria as it is too high for Maleria Mosquitos. But if you drive to Mt Meru in Tanzania you will pass through Malerial areas, though only for a short time. Most Ex-pats in Nairobi don't take Malaria profalaxsis.

It is up to you.

Will

-- Will Frost (w.frost@cgiar.org), May 20, 2002.

Dear Christian,

If you choose not to take profylaxes against malaria (and if you overnight somewhere between Nairobi and Arusha in Tanzania) then you should take care to aviod being bitten, i.e. go to bed early, use mosquito repellant and use a mosquito net (preferably one soaked in mosquito repellant). That way your chances of getting the disease are very minimal. If you do develop symtoms after your return to Europe, make sure you explain to your doctor about where you've been and the possibilities you have of contracting the disease.

-- Charles Rethman (charles@fsau.or.ke), October 09, 2002.