Antimalarial

What is Malaria?

Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted through bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. If it is not diagnosed early and treated, it can be fatal. It only takes a single mosquito bite to get infected. The infected mosquito bite passes the parasite into the bloodstream of the affected individual.

What are the high-risk areas for Malaria?

Malaria is found in over 100 countries across the globe. It is particularly common in tropical regions of the world. These includes:

• large regions of Africa and Asia
• Sections of the Middle East
• Central and South America
• Haiti and the Dominican Republic
• Parts of the Pacific islands

You can check the risk of malaria by visiting the malaria risk map here.

What steps can you take to prevent Malaria?

There are several steps that we can take to prevent Malaria. The easiest way to remember these is by the ABCD method.

Awareness of the risk: being aware of the risk of malaria in the region of our travel.

Bite prevention: Prevention of mosquito bites through the use of mosquito repellents, covering your arms and legs and using an insecticide-treated mosquito net. Ask in-store for our range of mosquito repellents.

Check if you need antimalarial tablets - Find out if you need antimalarial tablets to protect you from getting infected, for your travel destination. Book your appointment online.

Diagnosis - Get urgent medical assistance if you develop any malaria symptoms, upon returning from your travel for up to a year.

Sings and symptoms of Malaria

Malaria symptoms usually develop within 7 to 18 days after being infected (bitten by the parasite) depending on the type of parasite involved. However, in some cases, it can take up to a year for symptoms to appear after being infected.

The main initial symptoms are similar to that of flu, it includes:

• High Temperature of 38 degrees or above
• Vomiting
• Headaches
• Muscle aches
• Diarrhoea
• Feeling generally unwell

Read the updated and detailed information on the symptoms of malaria and the serious complications of malaria.

It can be difficult to identify these symptoms as malaria as the symptoms are often mild. The most serious form of malaria is caused by the Plasmodium falciparum parasite. If not identified and treated on time, malaria can cause serious illness and organ damage that could be fatal.

When to Seek medical advice

Seek medical advice immediately if you develop symptoms of malaria during or after a visit to an area where the disease is found. You should still seek medical help even if it's several weeks, months or a year after you return from travelling.