Protection against malaria among seafarers.

Malaria infections contracted by seafarers in ports of malarious countries may cause loss of lives and inflict serious suffering and temporary incapacitation. The risk of infection varies according to the epidemiological situation in the port areas. Infections with Plasmodium falciparum pose the most serious threat. In most of the endemic countries this is compounded by the parasite's resistance to one or more of the common antimalarial drugs. Malaria risk highlights the need for preventive measures consisting of exposure prophylaxis, under conditions of moderate and high risk complemented by chemoprophylaxis. This paper provides guidelines for the protection of seafarers under various conditions of exposure to infection. It also covers action when manifest malaria occurs on board.