Ready to explore? Learn more about avoiding malaria while travelling
Before heading off on your travels, it’s important to be prepared. Here we learn about malaria, avoiding it and treatments available.
What is malaria?
Malaria is a serious disease that’s spread by mosquitoes. If it isn’t quickly diagnosed and treated, it can be fatal. Whilst there's no vaccine to prevent malaria, there are measures you can take to help protect yourself. Carry on reading to find out a little more about malaria, its signs and symptoms, and how it’s transmitted.
How do you catch malaria?
Malaria is caused by infected mosquitos. A plasmodium parasite first infects a specific type of mosquito and is then contracted by humans if they’re bitten. The parasite begins by multiplying in the liver before infecting the red blood cells. It can be categorised in three ways:
• Uncomplicated malaria
• Severe malaria
• Cerebral malaria
Am I at risk of malaria?
Malaria is very common in some parts of the world. You can be at risk if you’re travelling to tropical regions like:
• Large areas of Africa and Asia
• Central and South America
• Dominican Republic and Haiti
• Parts of the Middle East
• Some Pacific islands
Malaria isn’t found in the UK and it can’t be caught from another person.
Signs & symptoms of malaria
Malaria can be difficult to spot as the symptoms are like fever and flu. There isn’t a symptom that is exclusive to malaria.
You need to ask for an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111 if you’ve travelled to a county where malaria is found and you have any of the following:
• A fever
• Headaches
• Feeling confused
• Feeling tired and sleepy (especially with children)
• Feeling sick
• Being sick
• Having tummy ache
• Diarrhoea
• Muscle pain
• Having yellow skin
• Having yellow whites of eyes
• Difficulty breathing
• A sore throat
• A cough
You also need to speak to anyone you travelled with so they can also get help.
If you have any malaria symptoms while you’re travelling, make sure to get medical advice.
Symptoms usually happen between seven and 18 days after the initial bite, but you should keep in mind that you might not have any symptoms for months after travelling and in rare cases, it can take up to a year.
Treating malaria
Malaria needs to be treated quickly as it’s a medical emergency. It’s treated with medicines and the medication depends on the type of malaria you have.
In some cases, some people will need to stay in hospital for their care and treatment.
Malaria can return. If it does, it’ll need to be treated again.
Avoiding malaria
While there's no licensed vaccination for malaria yet, there are preventative measures that you can take to help protect yourself.
Antimalarials
Antimalarials are recommended for some countries, although sometimes only for certain travellers who may be at a higher risk of disease or at higher risk of complications should they contract malaria.
You should seek advice about whether antimalarials are needed for the country you're visiting. If recommended, you should take them as directed by your pharmacist, including for the appropriate length of time after you return from the malarial area.
There are several different antimalarials that are used to help prevent the disease. The medicine you’ll be prescribed depends on factors like where you’re traveling to and the type of malaria that’s prevalent in the area you’ll be in, as well as your medical history and any medicines you take.
Whilst the types of medicine used to prevent catching malaria are different, they all work the same way: by killing the malaria parasites when they’re in your liver or red blood cells.
Bite avoidance
Bite avoidance measures are always recommended for all travellers when visiting an area with risk of malaria.
You should also bear in mind that no antimalarial medication is considered 100 percent effective, so the following preventative measures should also be taken:
• Be aware of the risk of malaria in the city, region or country you’re visiting
• Speak to a Boots pharmacist for advice about preventative measures you should use
• Double check antimalarial advice to make sure there haven’t been any changes even if you’ve been there before
• If needed, get your antimalarial medicines before travelling to avoid buying it while you’re away. This is because the quality can’t always be guaranteed
• Use insect repellent – make sure it’s 50% DEET-based
• Make sure to sleep under a mosquito net which has been treated with insecticide
• Wear clothes with long sleeves and trousers to make sure your arms and legs are covered, especially in the evening when mosquitos are most active
• Sleep in an air-conditioned room if possible
• Avoid camping by stagnant water
Our service
The Malaria Prevention Service at Boots can provide you and your family with a choice of suitable malaria prevention medicine* in store or online without needing to see your GP. You can read more about the different antimalarials the service can provide by visiting the Malaria Prevention Service Page
The service is available in over 2000 stores nationwide, making it a convenient and easy way to access the right malaria medication for you. Although we won’t be able to provide you with antimalarials through our online service if you’re travelling in the next 10 days, we'll still be able to help you in store.
For specialist advice and vaccinations, book an appointment online with the Boots Travel Vaccinations and Health Advice Service.**
Travel vaccination advice
1. Book an appointment
Six to eight weeks before you travel you will need to have your travel health appointment to assess what vaccinations you need.
2. Attend a personalised risk assessment23
During the 40 minute travel health appointment our specially-trained pharmacist will advise on any vaccinations and antimalarials you need for your travelling.
3. Get any vaccinations & antimalarials you may need*
You'll also be given additional personalised advice to help you stay healthy on your trip
