Change in malaria chemoprophylaxis recommendations for southern Africa

The Health Protection Agency Advisory Committee on Malaria Prevention for UK Travellers (ACMP) discussed in its May meeting malaria chemoprophylaxis recommendations for travellers to southern Africa, i.e. Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe.

Due to increasing drug resistance the current recommendation of proguanil and chloroquine is no longer felt to be appropriate.

Travellers to malarial areas within Namibia , Botswana and Zimbabwe are now recommended to take mefloquine, doxycycline or atovaquone/proguanil (Malarone®) as malaria chemoprophylaxis. The choice of drug should be determined in consultation with the traveller and take into account potential medical contraindications to individual agents.

Links

Guidelines for malaria prevention in travellers from the United Kingdom for 2003

NaTHNaC Frequently Asked Questions on Malaria Prevention