E-drug: Hard facts re malaria prophylaxis
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I am looking for hard facts.
Does anyone know of any hard evidence, supported by references,
that taking chemoprophylaxis against malaria is associated with
less mortality or long term morbidity than treating every infection as
it happens?
This may sound like an obvious question to ask - however, we hear
this argument advocated by travellers often:
"My GP /pharmacist/friend/auntie says that malaria pills only mask
the disease, and then the doctor can't diagnose it properly. Its
better to get malaria properly, and then the doctor can diagnose
and treat it quickly...."
Common sense seems to make this a fatuous argument - I am
having real trouble, though, finding hard scientific evidence that it is
so! I need studies comparing chemoprophylaxis with early or
standby treatment, using mortality and long term morbidity as
markers.
Can anyone help?
Andrew Jamieson
BA Travel Clinics South Africa
Dr Andrew Jamieson
aj.plett@pixie.co.za
Fax +27445826420
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