Table 3.
Medications taken by 460 Finnish travelers during the trip. The medications are categorized according to indication. The data are presented as numbers and percentages of travelers
| Number | (%a) | |
|---|---|---|
| Prophylactic antimalarial use among those recommended (missing data = 6) | 289 | (98) |
| Atovaquone and proguanil | 135 | (30) |
| Mefloquine | 70 | (15) |
| Doxycycline | 55 | (12) |
| Chloroquine | 25 | (6) |
| Other / not known | 2 | (0) |
| Changed drug b | 2 | (0) |
| Failure in use c | 7 | (2) |
| Antimicrobials (other than doxicycline) (missing data = 0) d | 81 | (18) |
| Fluoroquinolone | 53 | (12) |
| Macrolide | 9 | (2) |
| Nitroimidazole (metronidazole or tinidatzole) | 7 | (2) |
| Amoxicillin | 5 | (1) |
| Tetracycline | 1 | (0) |
| Other / not known | 25 | (5) |
| Two or more antimicrobials (without doxycycline) | 15 | (3) |
| Treatment for malaria (missing data = 0) e | 4 | (1) |
| Gastrointestinal medication (missing data = 0) | 127 | (28) |
| Loperamide | 115 | (25) |
| Medicinal charcoal | 7 | (2) |
| Other (laxative, spasmolyte, co-phenotrope) | 10 | (2) |
| Two or more gastrointestinal medications | 5 | (1) |
| Analgesic (missing data = 0) | 123 | (27) |
| NSAID | 67 | (15) |
| Paracetamol | 59 | (13) |
| Other / not known | 16 | (3) |
| Two or more analgesics | 18 | (4) |
| Antiemetic (missing data = 0) | 4 | (1) |
| PPI or antacid (missing data = 4) | 36 | (8) |
| PPI | 26 | (6) |
| Antacid (salts/H2) | 10 | (2) |
| Probiotics and prebiotics (missing data = 3) f | 270 | (59) |
| Starting before travel | 11 | (2) |
| Using only during travel | 123 | (27) |
| Starting before and using during travel | 136 | (30) |
a Total use of all travelers among those from whom information was available
b Each of these changed the medication from doxycycline to mefloquine
c Did not use as recommended (2 did not take at all, 1 stopped because of adverse effects, 4 used irregularly): atovaquone/proguanil (4), doxycycline (2), mefloquine (1); 10 had prescription but did not enter malaria area; 33 traveled to endemic countries yet visited only low prevalence areas
d 52 (11 % of all) used antimicrobials for TD
e All in Africa, three of four were tested; two negative, one positive
f If only product mentioned, presumed to be used while traveling