Malaria Facts and Tips

What You Need To Know:

Between 1991-2010, every year on average, almost 1900 people returned to the UK with malaria.
In 2010 over 70% of malaria cases in UK travellers were caused by the potentially fatal Plasmodium falciparum.
Essential travel health advice can be accessed right up to the time of travel – it is never too late to seek advice.
When planning your trip, make an appointment with your GP surgery, travel clinic or pharmacy six to eight weeks before travelling.
Malaria is avoidable, but it can be fatal if left untreated. It only takes one bit from an infected mosquito to contract malaria.
There are a number of antimalarials available, including Malarone, Paludrine and Avloclor. Speak to a GP or pharmacist about what is best for you.
You may not know immediately that you have contracted malaria as the symptoms can take weeks or months to appear.
Symptoms of malaria are similar to flu symptoms and include: a high temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or above, sweats and chills, generally feeling unwell, muscle pains, headaches, cough and diarrhoea.

Make an appointment with your GP, travel clinic or pharmacy to discuss malaria protection for your trip. You should really aim to do this 6-8 weeks before you plan on travelling/
Make sure you itinerary is clear because you may only need antimalarials for part of your trip.
Different antimalarials are recommended for different parts of the world due to drug resistance. Your GP or pharmacist can advise you on which is the most suitable for your trip and also for you individually.

Purchase and use any medication that has been recommended for your trip. Also purchase mosquito nets and insect repellents. You should use insect repellents with 10-50% DEET applied to the skin over your sunblock. You can also spray it on your clothes to offer extra protection.
Cover up your arms and legs and limit the amount of time that you spend outside at times when mosquitoes are most active, like between dusk and dawn. Sleeping under a mosquito net impregnated with permethrin can help provide you with protection.

Make sure that you complete your course of antimalarials to receive full protection. Keep taking them once you return for the full length of time that they were prescribed for.
Initial symptoms of malaria can be mild and difficult to recognise. It is often mistaken for flu. If you start to develop any flu-like symptoms after you return home then seek medical advice immediately and inform them that you have recently returned from a malaria-risk zone.