If you’ve ever traveled anywhere in the world where it is present, you will find that malaria is a common topic of conversation among tourists, ex-pats, and foreigners of all stripes.

“Are you on medication for prevention?”

“What kind?”

“Which one is that?”

“Is that daily/weekly?”

“Are you using anything homeopathic?”

“Mosquito spray too?”

“Will you take meds the whole time?”

“What side effects have you had?”

And so on.  Really, next to diarrhea, it is the single most discussed health subject among ex-pats in tropical places (and nothing makes you feel closer to people you just met than swapping diarrhea stories).  Each person has their own tales to share, their own tricks to pass on.  You hear stories of terrible side effects from the medication and even worse infections.   Even the Tanzanians themselves get in on this.  If you’re an mzungu in Tanzania and you feel even slightly under the weather, they tell you, “You should be tested for malaria, just to be safe.”   A cold coming on?  “You should be tested for malaria.”  Sneeze or feel slightly chilled?  “You should be tested for malaria.”  Stub your toe on a rock?  “You should be tested for malaria.”

And truthfully, they’re right to be concerned.  Malaria can and does kill people, not to mention cause serious illness.   An incredibly sad event happened soon after I arrived in Tanzania.  Two of the toddlers, twins, that my friend Shantelle had grown extremely attached to at the orphanage came down with malaria.  The little boy recovered.  The little girl, despite desperate attempts to get her medical care in town, did not.  It was truly heart-breaking.  I’ve since gotten to spend time with the little boy and am so sorry I didn’t get a chance to meet his sister.

Most Tanzanians, by the time they are adults, have built up a certain degree of tolerance for the disease after repeated infections, though they are not immune.  Those of us who are not from areas where malaria is prevalent are highly at risk, though prophylactics can reduce the chances of contracting malaria.  But medication itself can have pretty unpleasant and sometimes down-right scary side effects; it is also expensive.  As a result, many people who are here for the long-term choose to go without and take their chances.

My very first positive malaria test.

I made the decision to take prophylactic medication at least for the first few months; Malarone to be specific.  I had had bad experiences with Doxycycline and Mefloquine during past trips to Tanzania and Ecuador, so even though it was more expensive, it seemed like the right choice.  Therefore, when I started feeling on Tuesday like a sinus infection was coming on, I first brushed off attempts to get me to go to the clinic for testing.  But then I thought, “Better safe than sorry.”  I went in on yesterday for the blood test.  Four hours later, I had my diagnosis: Malaria.  Awesome.  Good news is after a three day course of pills I should be on my way to recovery.

So far, it hasn’t been so bad.  I think I may have one of the mildest cases ever.  Just a bad headache and feeling a bit dehydrated.  BUT, I just woke up.  Lots of hours still left in the day.