Briton Dies Of Severe Malaria

[z21rhd]

Because the outcome of contracting Malaria can be very serious, a few facts regarding Malaria in Thailand are offered :-

1) 2 species of the protozoan pathogen Plasmodium are resident in Thailand, ie .. Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. (neither are viruses)

2) Plasmodium falciparum is the causative agent of the most pathogenic of the human malarias.

Untreated infections from this parasite may result in cerebral malaria or what is referred to as

severe malaria. Death can occur within 48 hours of initial infection.

3) Low level transmission areas of malaria are the western and northern borders of Thailand with

Burma, and the Thai borders with Cambodia.

4) In the early eighties resistance to antimalarials in Thailand became a problem and by the

nineties Thailand had the distinction of having one of the most multidrug resistant populations of

malaria in world. Which it still has !!

5) One of the most effective drugs for preventing malaria was Mefloquine (Larium) however, even

this antimalarial has now become partially resistant to P. falciparum in Thailand.

6) The "hill tribe" and displaced refugee villages in the provinces of Ranong, Chumpon, Prachuap

khiri khan, Petchburi, Rachaburi, Kanchanaburi have cycles of epedemics. While those in the

provinces of Tak, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao are continously infected with

malaria (albeit in a low level of transmission)

7) In light of the above facts, any ideas that malaria is not a disease that one can be infected with

in Thailand are to be discarded as propaganda.

[leisurely]

Poor man condolences to his family.

I was surprised to see he had been vaccinated. Maybe it wasn't malaria at all.........

[LaoPo]

Because the outcome of contracting Malaria can be very serious, a few facts regarding Malaria in Thailand are offered :-

1) 2 species of the protozoan pathogen Plasmodium are resident in Thailand, ie .. Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. (neither are viruses)

2) Plasmodium falciparum is the causative agent of the most pathogenic of the human malarias.

Untreated infections from this parasite may result in cerebral malaria or what is referred to as

severe malaria. Death can occur within 48 hours of initial infection.

3) Low level transmission areas of malaria are the western and northern borders of Thailand with

Burma, and the Thai borders with Cambodia.

4) In the early eighties resistance to antimalarials in Thailand became a problem and by the

nineties Thailand had the distinction of having one of the most multidrug resistant populations of

malaria in world. Which it still has !!

5) One of the most effective drugs for preventing malaria was Mefloquine (Larium) however, even

this antimalarial has now become partially resistant to P. falciparum in Thailand.

6) The "hill tribe" and displaced refugee villages in the provinces of Ranong, Chumpon, Prachuap

khiri khan, Petchburi, Rachaburi, Kanchanaburi have cycles of epedemics. While those in the

provinces of Tak, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao are continously infected with

malaria (albeit in a low level of transmission)

7) In light of the above facts, any ideas that malaria is not a disease that one can be infected with

in Thailand are to be discarded as propaganda.

Can you please post the source(s) and link(s) of the above? Could be of importantance for all of us.

Thanks.

LaoPo

[lampard10]

It's strange that no-one has asked , what to me is the obvious question. Had he had Malaria before?

As I have read, and thought, once you have had malaria it stays in the body for life. There is just no getting rid of it. It's like radiation sickness, the level and intensity mount after each spell. Maybe he had contracted Malaria somewhere else, and this took him over the top. Condolences to the family.

[lukamar]

any ideas that malaria is not a disease that one can be infected with in Thailand are to be discarded as propaganda.

The wife said that Chiang Mai University (Suan Dok) Hospital has a special Malaria unit. She also said that Dengue fever and Japanese Encephalitis were much more of a worry, with JE being very worrying if children were infected.

[aussieiris]

Start taking your Vitamin B tablets people! It is the only time I don't get touched by mosquitos.

My condonlences to the family.

[PeaceBlondie]

Someone asked us to share advice we had been given by the experts.

There seems to be an urban legend, or a jungle legend, that quinine is more dangerous than the disease it's supposed to protect you against. On the first day of the millenium, I was swimming on a beach on the Mexican-Guatemalan with a Mexican epidemiologist who had recently earned his Ph.D. in England. He advised me to take quinine, because I was living in an endemic area for malaria, which I did for maybe six months. My friends, international travellers themselves, warned me against quinine. After more than six months, I had a consultation by the chief of infectious diseases at the big US Army base at Fort Sam Houston, Texas (whose predecessors discovered how to prevent malaria, during the construction of the Panama Canal. The chief physician there told me that in my case, there was no special hazard taking quinine, and the danger of malaria was much higher.

Of course, as others have pointed out, the Thai-Burmese border is quite different, and the strain of malaria there is much more deadly.

In this tragic case of the young man from N. Ireland, he probably got 'innoculated' against those things you can be vaccinated for, and started a course of anti-malarial medicine which, unfortunately, was not adequate.

My sympathies to the family.

[beammeup]

I worked in Equatorial Guinea a couple of years ago. One of the guys on my ship died of Ceriberal malaria. A few weeks later I was home in Songkhla when I contracted some virus with a fever. I got a little freaked out and went to the malaria clinic (most sizable cities in Thailand should have one). A simple prick on the finger and 10 minutes later I was told I did not have malaria. They assured me they check for all types including the cereberal type. I thought that was the only deadly form of the disease. I didnt think you could get that type in Thailand. If you take malarone you shouldnt get any type of malaria, although its expensive. Prevention is the best defence!! Eat lots of garlic and B vitamins and use some spray if trekking. My oldest son got Denguie which is much more of a danger in Thailand. Malaria is treatable if detected early, and I think Thailand is well set up for it, so I wouldnt loose any sleep over it.

[just plain different]

So, the Thai - Myanmar boarders where we do our VISA runs are the malaria hot spots? Guess we should all apply some of the more serious repellent when making the run then.

[Sir Burr]

I contracted malaria 25 years ago in Uganda and I was taking anti-malarial tablets.

The strain of malaria that reoccurs is very rare. Most strains of malaria, once treated, are out of your system.

I believe here in Southern Thailand is not a malarial zone. Don't have the right mosquitos. The biggest problem is dengue fever which is transmitted by the Aedes Aegyti mosquito. These are active in daytime and are the big ones with black and white striped legs.

[Farma]

I know of malaria cases amongst health workers working along the Cambodian border near Phu Sing. One young man died last year from it. He had been working in the jungle area there.

The general feeling among health workers I know in the area seems to be you are safe if you take reasonable precautions and live in the towns. Once you head into the jungle you greatly increase the risk.

[ProfessorFart]

Theres no need for a 'Bird Flu/SARS' type panic here. It sounds like this guy had gone into the back of beyond!

If your going to take Quinine note that it should be taken in alcohol!

[Phano]

I am made to understand japanese encephalitis was a biger worry than Malaria? I have had so much advice and many bouts of malaria (30+ years in tropical Africa!), that I have concluded that the best way to survive is to go back to basics. Spray, spray and spray. Close windows before dawn, long sleeved shirts and trousers when out at night (ocassion permitting). If infected take full course of medication as given.

Sorry for the poor lad in the prime of his youth, with all his life ahead. RIP

[Galong]

I contracted Plasmodium vivax in Trang Province a few years ago. It wasn't all that bad actually. I was very weak throughout the day, then in the early evening I'd get the chills followed by a very high fever.

It took the doctors a lot longer than it should as they kept thinking it was something other than malaria. it isn't supposed to be here in the south.

Very sorry to hear about this guy. Maybe he should have gone to the hospital sooner... I don't know if that would have helped in his case though.

[teko]

Many years back on my first overseas trip to Nias which at the time and maybe still is a malria hot spot. I got advice by a well travelled mate to start taking garlic capsules months before and during my trip. I did and I still do. One of my travelling companions contracted malaria while we there and has never been the same since and another ended up with a massive ulcer on his right ankle from a coral nick that he'd got, he had to hobble out of there on hand made crutches, spent about a week in Penang, before flying back home.To this day my advice is the same as I got many years back and I know to this day that it has saved my arse from all sorts of nasties.

[Prakanong2005]

What was everyone else told by their doctor in their home country? Come on, lets compare doctors opinions from different countries!

As I said before I work for a pharma that produces a well known anti-malarial but in their vaccine division which will release a vaccine over the next couple of years for malaria.

Our Dr's prescribe meds for certain business trips ie Bangkok we do not get it and Bangalore we do.

I have no certain knowledge but could check and would probably have heard I do not think our Thai staff are given meds on their travels around Thailand.

Our Dr's will be expected to have specialist travel medicine knowledge and will have access to experts.

[BigSnake]

RIP

[Scott]

My condolences to the family on their loss. It is a truly great loss of a young life.

[Head Snake]

Many years back on my first overseas trip to Nias which at the time and maybe still is a malria hot spot. I got advice by a well travelled mate to start taking garlic capsules months before and during my trip. I did and I still do. One of my travelling companions contracted malaria while we there and has never been the same since and another ended up with a massive ulcer on his right ankle from a coral nick that he'd got, he had to hobble out of there on hand made crutches, spent about a week in Penang, before flying back home.To this day my advice is the same as I got many years back and I know to this day that it has saved my arse from all sorts of nasties.

What would Garlic Capsules do???

Do you find that you "exude" a certain smell from sweating?

The only thing I am aware of that garlic helps is in metabolism and vampires.

[VanZam]

What would Garlic Capsules do???

Do you find that you "exude" a certain smell from sweating?

The only thing I am aware of that garlic helps is in metabolism and vampires.

Maybe it stops all blood sucking creatures...

[pantsninja]

I am going to burma in a month, how worried should i be about malaria ? after reading this now i am having second thoughts about going... i don't want to die

[cuddleypete]

very sad,Condolences to his family and friends

Respect.

pete

[A. BOOZER]

The only thing I am aware of that garlic helps is in metabolism and vampires.

Maybe it stops all blood sucking creatures...

It certainly never stopped my first wife!

[billd766]

There was a TV documentary about Malaria in UK last year .There is quite a bit of reaearch going on in the Kampaengphet area and supposedly, the skeets up there are a right nasty strain so they said. iwish I could remember a little more about that program. Maybe Burma border areas are black spot areas for it.

I live about 60 km south west of Khampaeng Phet and while there are mossies around I suffer more with mot daeng or red ants as the little ba****ds love me.

I haven't taken any anti malarial pills for the best part of 12 years and so far, touch wood, I have had no problems. Neither has anybody around the villages as far as I know.

[F1 Visa Runner]

Living in Bk most of the time, what precautions should we take??

One more thing. What is it with some of the mosquitos in Bk that leaves nasty wounds on your skin after their bite. Red big wounds that last for a week or more and also leaves you with skin that easily peels of when scratching it??

I feel sorry for the guy leaving this world so young and without his family being there..

Also for the family that lost their son so young just living his dream..

RIP..

[britmaveric]

Living in Bk most of the time, what precautions should we take??

None - like I said previously unless you are out in the jungle you need not worry.

[g00dgirl]

Many visa run companies in Phuket do the visa runs to Ranong, that sounds like a pretty dangerous place to go then. I think I would rather get on a flight somewhere.

[Prakanong2005]

Because the outcome of contracting Malaria can be very serious, a few facts regarding Malaria in Thailand are offered :-

1) 2 species of the protozoan pathogen Plasmodium are resident in Thailand, ie .. Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. (neither are viruses)

2) Plasmodium falciparum is the causative agent of the most pathogenic of the human malarias.

Untreated infections from this parasite may result in cerebral malaria or what is referred to as

severe malaria. Death can occur within 48 hours of initial infection.

3) Low level transmission areas of malaria are the western and northern borders of Thailand with

Burma, and the Thai borders with Cambodia.

4) In the early eighties resistance to antimalarials in Thailand became a problem and by the

nineties Thailand had the distinction of having one of the most multidrug resistant populations of

malaria in world. Which it still has !!

5) One of the most effective drugs for preventing malaria was Mefloquine (Larium) however, even

this antimalarial has now become partially resistant to P. falciparum in Thailand.

6) The "hill tribe" and displaced refugee villages in the provinces of Ranong, Chumpon, Prachuap

khiri khan, Petchburi, Rachaburi, Kanchanaburi have cycles of epedemics. While those in the

provinces of Tak, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao are continously infected with

malaria (albeit in a low level of transmission)

7) In light of the above facts, any ideas that malaria is not a disease that one can be infected with

in Thailand are to be discarded as propaganda.

I discussed this case on the bus to work this morning with a Medical Writer working on our Malaria project who also did research into HIV in Thailand and had to go to malarial area's on the border for that research with Hill Tribes etc.

He said he thought there were now three types of Malaria in Thailand - the two you mention and another one that is very rare but is there?

Edit

Mmm - I did a google and one draft paper from Mahidol (who we work with) says 2 types but another paper from Penn State who are working with Mahidol say all 4 types are there???

"According to Liwang Cui, assistant professor of entomology at Penn State, malaria still is a major health problem in Thailand. While reported malaria cases have continued to decrease over the past two decades in Thailand, in rural areas people still remain at great risk.

"In Thailand, all four species of malaria occur, but the vast majority are caused by the Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax infections," said Cui. "While major focus has been on P. falciparum, the most deadly of all malaria species, the burden of P. vivax has largely been neglected. In recent years, worldwide distribution of P. vivax has expanded significantly and the number of cases has been on the rise.""

http://live.psu.edu/story/16002

This WHO paper talks of only two types specifically but also talks of Falciparum "Mixed" but does not say mixed with what

http://www.rbm.who.int/wmr2005/profiles/thailand.pdf

I am now confused

Edited May 24, 2006 by Prakanong2005

[mitrapaap]

I am shocked by this sad story. Very sorry for the guy.

Does it says in which part of Thailand it was? I am a tour-manager, and this is very important for me.

[mitrapaap]

I am shocked by this sad story. Very sorry for the guy.

Does it says in which part of Thailand it was? I am a tour-manager, and this is very important for me.

If you read carefully you will notice that he was trekking. He did not get it in Thailand, he only died in Thailand. So no need to modify your tours. Unless you make trekking tours to the Burmese jungle, thats what they think where he got it. It's all written there.