Malaria medicine ~ LB-69

Hi guys.

I'm going to take a sidetrip to Cambodia dring my stay in SEA. When in Thailand (or along the coast of it at least) I dont take any malaria medicine.

Do you know if I need to do so in Cambodia?

I'm going to the usual locations: Pnom Phen, Ankor Vat and that beach location I never can spell - shinkokville or something.

It's a gamble because Cambodia is said by the world health people to be a malaria hotspot.
I was there for ten days in November spending time in Pnom Penh and Siem Reap and indeed I took the five hour fast boat river cruise between PP & SR so that I could view the truly awesome and magnificent Angkok Wat.
In my case I never bothered with medication, although every day I used plenty of spray to keep the mozies off me and I have to say it worked.
My friend who went with me did get bitten and was infected with dengue fever, he is still not back to his previous level of fitness but he is in his 60's. He was told that malaria tab's would not have helped him had he taken them.

Moderator Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 2485

You are strongly advised to take anti-Malaria medication in all parts of Cambodia, and even bordering areas of Thailand.

Vietnam is known to have some of the worst cases of Malaria, so anywhere along the western part of Cambodia must be more of a worry.

I always use Doxycycline, which isn't too expensive if you shop around, and has no side effects, but you do have to start taking is 3 days before you enter the area and 7 days after, which can be a pain.

I had a girlfriend who caught malaria in South America and almost died. She had the medication but kept forgetting to take it. Even though she survived there's a chance it can come back again.

I think they are close to finding a preventative mediciine/vaccination for Dengue fever, but at the moment there is nothing available, in the UK at least.

You'll find the majority of native people in Cambodia wear long sleeves and trousers at all time, which is probably the best advice, along with DEET spray.

hm... this confirms my fears. We have this stuff called malarone that I guess I'll bring. I'm never going to take that old stuff (don't remember the name anymore - kinin maybe) cause its gives me horrific nightmares. I don't like medications that fuck with my head.

Dengue fever you say... damn. No cure as of now.

I could live with taking the malarone, but with dengue fever around I seriously reconsider the whole Cambodia trip.