Kenya, a land of contrasts: from the thrill and snow of a Mount Kenya climb, to the wild animals in the savannah, to the beautiful beaches and crystal clear ocean.To enjoy your relaxed holiday, here is some health advice from Dr. M. A. SAIO, M. D. Spec. Trop. Med (Rome), MRCP Travel Med.(Glasgow), who has 30 years experience in Tropical & Travel Medicine in Kenya. The following infective diseases are present in Kenya:

-MALARIA (see below)
-TYPHOID (rare if you stay in hotels/ houses/ lodges)
-GIARDIASIS, food poisoning (common from contaminated food, water)
-HEPATITIS A (vaccination advised and available)
-SCHISTOSOMIASIS (very rare, avoid water from rivers, lakes)
-H.I.V. (common sense, avoid casual unprotected sex)

VACCINATIONS

• Compulsory: Yellow fever if you travel to or from Tanzania, South Africa e.t.c.
• Recommended: Hepatitis A
• Optional: Typhoid, Cholera (also protects against traveler diarrhoea).

MALARIA

Severe illness, mostly Plasmodium Falciparum, transmitted by night biting Anopheles mosquitoes.
Incubation: 7 – 21 days (usually 15 days).
Symptoms: high fever, headache, muscle aches.
Treatment: now only Artemisia (worm wood) derivatives.
Note: introduction of Artemisinin in Kenya in 1994 has reduced enormously the transmission (80% reduction of reported malarial cases in the past 3 years).
Malaria transmission is temperature dependant, so only some areas in Kenya are Malaric. See Map

For more information about malaria prevention, prophylaxis, treatment and diagnosis click and enter here

For personalised interactive specialised advice click and enter here

Prevention

Avoid bites! During the day, there is no danger. After dark:

• Wear protective clothing. Long sleeves, trousers.
• Apply insect repellant (DEET based or AUTAN).
• Reapply if doing sports, swimming or perspiring a lot.
• Use a mosquito net and / or air conditioning.

Prophylaxis

MALARONE (recommended): take daily for the duration of exposure and only 1 week after. Controindicated in pregnancy and breastfeeding. NOTE: the medicine can be bought in Kenya at 1/3 of
the price in Europe. Name is MALANIL.
DOXICYCLINE 100mg per day to be continued for 3 weeks after leaving malarial area. Controindicated in pregnancy, breastfeeding and in children below 12 years of age.
LARIAM (Mefloquine) Avoid because of common neuropsychiatric side effects.

Treatment

Oral COARTEM (In Europe called RIAMET) available at much reduced price. 4 tablets twice daily, after food, for 3 days.

Self test

Available in Kenya, similar to a do it yourself pregnancy test.
The concept of self test and standby treatment especially for long time travels or stay, is gaining momentum. The traveller does not take preventive medicines, but self tests for malaria when symptomatic, in case of positive test, takes the COARTEM he carries with him (STAND BY treatment).
These tests are available in pharmacies in boxes of two (Malaria self test ICT Diagnosics) 3 euros, or one test (SD Bioline) 2 euros.