Off to Gambia in October, any insect advice?

[Stickle]

I'm off to the Gambia in October to do some charity work at an hospital 200 miles up river. Has anyone got any tips/advice on living in west Africa, which will make the stay more comfortable? Cheers.

[BorderReiver]

Malarial prophylaxis,before you go AND for the recommended period after you come home.Never forget it while you're there either.

[BOD]

As someone who has been watching his white blood cell count and platelet count drop daily for the past few days and watching his skin hemorraghing, not to mention the other nuisances of dengue fever, I recommend that you wear long shirts and trousers and apply the DEET and sleep under a net if there are significant risks of arboviruses in the area,

It is no fun at all to be stricken with a tropical fever.

Have fun

[John Fenna]

Keep covered up, especially at dawn and dusk, use lots of DEET (on your clothing not skin!) use a mozzie net and remember the b*st*rds cannot bite through 2 layers of woven fabric... though you could cook wearing 2 layers.....
John

[Stickle]

Thanks Mike, that's one in the list of ten, I'll have more perforations than your average tea bag by the time I go! Still better safe etc.

[Stickle]

Ouch! Will be sleeping under at least one net in what are essentially white thermals. White on the advice of a work mate who spent a couple of years in Mali, so you can see what's breached your defences.
Hope the counts start rising soon. Cheers.

[Stickle]

I can see cooking at night being on the cards irrespective of the amount of clothing, still this is the main event not a rehearsal.

[Goose]

Research anti malarial treatments well before you go, some need to be taken a month or so before you travel, same with jabs that are required it takes time to get them all in! I personally wouldn't use Lariam again , I didn't like the side effects and there are other things to take, which I don't have any experience of, but others on here might?

[John Fenna]

I use Doxycyclone(sp) as an anti malarial for most areas.
I get no side effects (though super sensitivity so sun can be a problem that some get with it) and it being an antibiotic it clears up your acne as well!

[Stickle]

Hi Goose & John, thanks for the replies. I'm suffering half page syndrome so I can't read all the message! Oh there it is, Doxycyclone seems to be worth looking at, but off to the docs on Thursday so hopefully more light will be shed on the subject. Cheers.

[gorilla]

I'm off to the Gambia in October to do some charity work at an hospital 200 miles up river. Has anyone got any tips/advice on living in west Africa, which will make the stay more comfortable? Cheers.

kudos to you mate - it all sounds pretty horrific!

[spamel]

A mate had an (apparently) very erotic dream on Larium involving an anonymous australian beauty.








I got an itchy scalp. I somehow felt cheated!

[akabu]

all the above!
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/travel/vaccines_index.shtml

Plus: http://www.sawyer.com/products.htm