Treatment

	Early diagnosis of malarial infection affords the best chance of recovery. Employees at risk should be aware of associated symptoms.

Most people connect malaria with high fever and this is the classic, but not definitive symptom. A text book patient will follow a cycle of fever in three distinct stages; the cold stage with shaking and chills which may begin around midday and last for up to an hour; the hot stage, when body temperatures can exceed 105°F, lasting up to 6 hours; then a period of profuse sweating. Other symptoms might include coughing, vomiting, diarrhoea, headaches, muscle pains, fatigue, anaemia, jaundice and renal failure.

Anyone at risk from infection and displaying these indicators after one week of entering the malaria risk area or up to three months after leaving should seek medical attention as quickly as possible, and within 12-24 hours of onset.

Where no suitable alternative medical support is available and your employees are supported by a corporate remote site medical facility, medics should be given a clear company protocol to follow in the case of a patient presenting with malarial symptoms. This would include immediate bedside diagnostics and testing, access to topside medical advice and support, availability of appropriate emergency standby treatments and planned evacuation procedures.

If an employee is travelling independently, a malaria testing kit can be a useful precaution. These kits tend to identify just one strain of parasite, but the ability to self-test may aid quick diagnosis where symptoms are less obvious, helping your employees gain quicker access to medical support if needed. They can be purchased individually and are a useful addition to a corporate travellers first aid kit. It must be bourne in mind that although these tests are usually very relaible initial results can very occassionally be misleading.

For more information about malaria tests please contact our colleagues at medekit.com or view their malaria testing kits.