[Prevention of malaria in travelers]

Malaria is still a major health problem at the end of the 20th century. Each year, more than 250 patients present a malaria in Belgium. Most of them are travellers from Africa and are infected with P. falciparum. Due to widespread resistance to chloroquine of P. falciparum overall in the world (Africa, South America and Far East), prophylaxis based on the association of chloroquine+proguanil is necessary in most cases. In several regions, mefloquine is now the only active prophylaxis. However, travellers (and their doctors) must know that no antimalarial prophylactic regimen gives complete protection. Therefore, the use of repellents and/or (bed) nets has to be underlined. In some cases, stand-by treatment may be more indicated than prophylaxis.