Malaria Update July 2007

BA has conducted a risk assessment at their most common overnight stops where malaria is endemic.

The study included all air crew on duty to BA’s most endemic destinations over the ten years 1994 - 2003 grading the risk at the hotels used, duration of overnight stops, potential exposure in transit between airport and hotel and a postal survey with a 41% response rate (pretty good for pilots)!

The risk of straying outside the safe vector controlled limits was accepted; unsurprisingly a majority admitted to sitting outdoors at dusk or dawn when anopheles are on the prowl, but only five cases of falciparum malaria were reported, four crew having dined alfresco and one who went on overnight safari. Overall the annual risk was 1.6 cases per 100,000 nights.

Taking into account that the risk of contracting malaria is very much less in urban than in rural areas, especially in an air-conditioned environment, BA stratified the occupational hazard and recommend:

• For a standard lay over to stay in air conditioning.

• If straying outdoors, restrict to daytime activities or use insect repellent from dusk to dawn.

• If staying overnight remote from the crew hotel, then take prophylaxis with Malarone tablets.

As previously listed, with so many variables, crew from other airlines should seek up to date advice from their airline’s occupational health department, or if they have none then from the malaria reference laboratory.

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