Malaria is the most common and most important mosquito borne illness in the world and represents a major risk to travelers in Central America, South America, Oceania and Sub-Saharan Africa. In Sub-Saharan Africa in particular, malaria prevention through mosquito bite prevention and prophylactic malarial medications is essential for all foreign travelers. Choosing the best malaria prevention medications isn’t simple. It involves considering factors like the patient’s health, the travel destination, local drug resistance, possible side effects, and the season when malaria is most common. Personalized prevention plans are a key part of travel medicine consultations.
Crossing more than two time zones unpleasantly disrupts the normal sleep/wake cycle. Traveling east is generally worse than traveling west, but ‘jet lag’ occurs in both directions and negatively impacts the travel experience. There are several proven strategies to minimize the effects of jet lag:
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