SANParks.org Forums

Interesting article here. It also explains why women get bitten more often than men.
No Loams, not because we have stinky feet.

Hehehehe....long plants... I love typos!

I don't think you can buy clothes wash with mozzie repellant in the UK, although a travel clinic may be able to help.

As mentioned before, the range of anti-mozzie stuff available in the park is very good and quite reasonably priced. My recommendation would be to light a mozzie coil just before dusk, open all interior doors and close all exterior ones, spray all exposed bodily areas with Peaceful Sleep, coat wrists, ankles, neck and back of hands with Tabard, light a Tabard candle on your outside table then sit back and enjoy a beer or Amarula and RELAX!. Mosquito nets should not be required in Winter. Don't panic if you do get bitten, the vast majority of mozzies don't carry malaria anyway.

Don't know what medication you have got from your doctor as an anti-malarial, but I would not personally recommend anything other than Malarone (also known by other names, although I can't remember which!). If in doubt which one you've got, Malarone is the one which leaves a big hole in your bank account . See malaria topic on "other" forum for more info.

Hi Jan,

Not to worry. Were in KNP in May for 7 days and didn't get a single mosquito bite. Not sure I even saw one. It's winther and there are not many around. We used bug spray at evenings sitting outside, but early morning and late night it's too cold for the mosquitos anyway. We did not use coils or anything like that. The doors/nets at the bungalows or safari tents are enough to keep the bugs out as long as you keep the doors and windows closed.

You have to wear shorts and t-shirt during the day as it is very warm. PLEASE DO NOT CLOSE THE WINDOWS IN YOUR CAR AND USE AIRCON. You'll miss the whole point of being there.

We did take malaria pills without any problems even though it was Larium, but I know some people cannot take them. Good thing it is only 1 tablet per week.

So stop worrying and enjoy the trip to the fullest. You'r gonna love it!

Cheers,
CD

Don't fool yourself by thinking that there aren't any mozzies around in the winter. Just check out the communal bathrooms to be convinced otherwise. BTW, my SO picked up malaria at the end of May 2003.

Don't intend to fool them - just saying no need to worry to the degree she does. Anyway, malaria tablets/bug spray/coils or not it can still happen, so just enjoy it and use common sense before going anywhere.

Another thing that is probably obvious but I think hasn't been mentioned here yet: Don't be anywhere near the pool around dusk and dawn. Swimming pools (and other water bodies) attract mosquitos.
On my trip to Kruger a few weeks ago I only got bitten by mosquitos once: When I was standing next to a pool at dusk.

The problem is most people will get bitten when getting un/dressed in the bathrooms. The subtropical atmosphere in the communal bathrooms is an excellent place for mozzies.

So by spraying yourself with whatever renders completely useless as it gets washed off in the shower.

Keep your eyes and ears open while in there.

There is also a believe that malaria is on the decrease in the Park. That the last person picked up malaria many years ago. That is a load of bull. It is still a problem today.

Facilparum is the most dangerous type of malaria and it is the most common in the Park. Vivax could be present in the northern parts, but I have never heard of anyone picking up vivax in Kruger.

So by being a born-worrier is actually fine. It will make you just that bit more wary of mozzies. I am paranoid about malaria!

the crux of the story here is that whenever you pick up any symptoms of flu with some or all of the following: fever, headache, diarrhoea and sore joints, go and take a blood test to verify if it is the cause of malaria. This should be done as early as possible. This is the only real foolproof to make sure that you will survive.

On my most recent trip I fell sick with fever, my daughter had a fever of 42 back home while I was in the PArk and the most facinating thing was that I could feel that something wasn't right back home without even speaking to the 2 back there.

Her's turned out to be a mild cold with a throat infection and a tummy bug. All lovely symptoms of malaria.

I turned out to have a lovely middle ear infection. Great malaria symptoms!

We did not have any visible signs of mozzie bites while in the Park and took excellent pre-cautions but still had to make sure with the blood tests. Also if the symptoms continue after an bacterial infection was id'ed and antibiotics were taken then go for another test. It sometimes happend that malaria is not picked up first shot around. with viral infections, I would advise to go for a second test the next day.

I agree however with CD that it should not keep you from visiting the Park. But it should make sure that all of us are more carefull in doing so.

We went to Kruger Park about 10 yrs ago in Winter and I cannot remember seeing any mosquito's.
We want to go to SA next year and also to KP. We plan on going in August/September with our kids of then 2 and 4 yrs old. I prefer not to give them antimalaria drugs.
We want to stay in fixed accomodation.
My questions are:
- is it correct to assume the malaria risk and mosquito prevalence is quite low in August/Sept
- does the fixed accomodation in KP have mosquito screens or do we need to take mosquito nets
- from my own experience 10 yrs ago I would figure travelling with kids is pretty safe in KP. Am I right?

Cindy

Hi cwolfsen

Here is some reading material for you on Malaria

It's a long read, and personally I never take malaria pills, but the debate rages on in the link I gave you

I live on the coast in SA and it is mid winter here especially today and we have had very little rain. I have just see a mosquito fly past me. OK not a malaria moz, but one none the less.


All buildings in KNP have screens on the windows and the doors.


Do you mean safe from criminal elements? If so, yes. KNP is very safe. Just remember to keep car windows closed around baboons and monkeys. Also not to leave your children unattended especially with food - baboons and monkeys will try and steal the food from them.

Hi

We have been to KNP twice this year with our son who is not yet 1 year old. I take all the precautions that I can against mozzies - except for anti-malaria medication. I saw a few mozzies both times (end May and end of July), but my son did not have a single bite.
We also stay in fixed accommodation, although we actually love camping - I think it lowers the risk a bit.
You will be surprised at the amount of little kids in Kruger - I think it is quite safe, but would not go during summer.
(Although we always went in December before we had a kid, and only took medicine the first time, never again)

My personal opinion is that the risk of contracting malaria in Kruger is relatively low....
BUT...
I recently heard of a man who died in June his year from malaria after spending a few nights at Lower Sabie.

There is still definately a real malaria risk - one should never forget that!

The only time we have cancelled a Kruger trip was when I was pregnant with my youngest. She is now 14 yrs old.
Most of my family react in various ways to medication, so individual members cannot take medication. We are however cautious.
Although the smell is strong, the mozzie coils are very effective. We also use lots of topical mozzie repellant.
A little hint I picked up from a client recently: If there is a mozzie flying around your space at night, put your cellphone torch on and shine it against the wall. The light is irrisistable. Within moments you have a good swatting target.

There are many mozzies around in winter time. The communal ablutions are infected with them.

I recently got bitten in Balule and wait in eagerness for the first 14 days to pass. If I feel like I have the flu I will go get my blood tested. Already had my blood tested once this year so far after my 3rd and 4th visits to the Park.

I also saw many young children around. We left our 2.5 year old daughter behind for the fear of Malaria. My wife had malaria in late May 2003, picked up from either Lower Sabie or Letaba.

Staying in bungalows etc is definitely safer than camping. Problem is I just love camping too much!

Hi
Been in the Park in May from south to north.
stayed in tents and huts.
Hardly saw any moz.
That doesnt mean that they werent around

We didnt taken any medication but followed the general guidelines. My SO used a spray and in the evening we wore long sleeves and trousers.

We have been fortunate in terms of mozzies, but not so with ticks. I have been bitten twice and was put onto Tetracycline as a precaution against tick bite fever. My son was bitten on the scalp and I only found it by accident. Be aware that this can also be a problem, especially with children rolling around on the ground.