To help you better understand how international health insurance, we are committed a series of exclusive interviews with doctors who agreed to answer us.

In this third interview, BSI wanted to know the opinion of a physician on the issue of malaria: acute or chronic disease?

The Dr. Anne David BRUNET, a graduate of the Faculty of Medicine of Paris (General and tropical medicine), installed in Cotonou (Benin), gives us his opinion.

 BSI: Dr. Brunet Apithy, what – what is malaria?

Dr. Brunet Apithy: Malaria, also known as malaria is an infectious disease caused by a parasite and spread by the bite of certain species of mosquitoes. This disease is present throughout the intertropical area. Agents of malaria are mainly PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM and PLASMODIUM VIVAX.

BSI: What difference does make, doctor?

Dr. Brunet Apithy: PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM is the most dangerous of these parasites, because if it is not treated, it can be deadly. Treated in time, it does however not cause relapse: must be stung again to redo a malaria. The simple access there is no signs of malignancy, but they may at any time move towards serious access (pernicious or brain or visceral scalable). They appear after incubation for 5 to 15 days, after the infective bite, where the importance of the diagnosis and early treatment. The evolution is favorable in a few days under correct treatment and if the patient leaves the endemic area. There is more beyond the 2nd month relapse risk and healing is without sequela.

On the contrary, PLASMODIUM VIVAX (another species of Plasmodium), causes access without gravity. But, because of the persistence of parasites in the liver (sometimes over 2 years!), access can occur without new mosquito bite.

BSI: Exclusions proposed by some insurers for people who have already contracted malaria you seem so exaggerated?

Dr. Brunet Apithy: Indeed, these two forms of malaria may be the subject of a separate approach by insurers. In all cases, malaria can be treated with adequate and administered treatment at the time. This condition, if it is properly detected and treated, is ultimately benign and its inexpensive treatment.

BSI: In conclusion doctor?

Dr. Brunet Apithy: Every traveler to stay in endemic area should use preventive treatment. Any resident in areas endemic must have quickly access to a test of malaria as well as a treatment course.

Also provide a medical evacuation insurance because any simple access can switch in a serious access.  In case of delay in the diagnosis or treatment, the technical platforms of many countries will be so insufficient to allow the sometimes necessary patient resuscitation!

BSI: Thank you doctor for all these details!