Malaria In East Malaysia

[bendejo]

I'm thinking of spending some time in East Malaysia, probably Sabah.

Word is out, via CDC and other sources, that this is a malaria zone. (see map )

On trips to such places I usually take a prophylaxis for the few weeks I'm there, but I'm weary of taking it for months on end.

I'd like to hear from anyone spending extended time in those parts, and how they deal with it.

[craigt3365]

Wow...that map is wrong for sure. No know malaria presence in Issan? Tell that to my wife's relatives...some of whom have died and others suffer with it now. But the real problem here lately is dengue.

I spent a month is Sabah with no problems. But that doesn't mean anything. I know people who spent a month in Africa with no problems. But I did not take a chance...took my meds like a good kid.

I would try asking that question on lonelyplanet.com. There is a section for SE Asia...Malaysia. Might be worth a try?

[THAILIBAN]

when I went to Sabah first more than 10 years ago, I had the usual European-style paranoia regarding Malaria and swallowed a lot of medicine (that probably did more harm than it helped). since then, I have been to Sabah more than 20 times, and except for some mosqitoes repellent (sometimes at least, when I plan to stay in remote areas) I don't do anything and never had any problems with mossies, let alone Malaria. DENGUE is much more a problem (and THIS is a severe problem indeed, for Malaysia as well as Thailand, Indonesia, the Phils a.s.o.), but nothing much u can do against it except making the mossies NOT bite u.....

But otherwise don''t worry, Sabah (as well as SWK) is much better developed than, let's say, the Isaan.

and it's a lovely place too.....