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Malaria warning to travellersDate: 01/05/2007 09:13:37
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Travellers are being urged to ensure they take adequate precautions against malaria if jetting off to foreign climes this summer.
According to the Health Protection Agency (HPA), 1,758 cases of malaria were reported in the UK last year, with eight of these cases proving fatal.
Statistics also reveal that 1,386 cases were due to a potentially fatal strain of the disease called Plasmodium falciparum, known to be the cause of over a million deaths a year in Africa.
Travellers are being advised to plan ahead by seeking pre-travel medical advice on the medical risks associated with their destination.
In the case of malaria treatment, medical experts advise that people start taking a course of drugs before they travel and well after their return to the UK.
Professor Peter Chiodini, a malaria expert at the HPA said the symptoms of malaria, caught through the bite of an Anopheles mosquito, can often be confused with flu.
"Cases in this country are regularly diagnosed late, which can lead to a more severe illness, so if you become unwell after returning from the tropics, passing on your travel history to your doctor and mentioning the possibility of malaria is crucial," he explained.
Over half of the malaria cases reported in the UK were triggered by people going to visit friends and relatives in the tropics.
 © Adfero Ltd
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