Malaria Prevention

The fight against Malaria can be made so much easier with a little knowledge and preparation. The best way is by avoiding getting bitten by mosquitoes altogether then you won't ever even have to worry about the symptoms of Malaria.

Malaria prevention can be achieved by taking a few simple steps before you visit one of the 109 Malaria hotspots. The aim of this page is to prepare you as best as possible to avoid contracting this fatal disease.

Malaria Prevention Step 1

Recognise whether or not the country you are in or aim to travel to is one of the 109 Malaria Hotspots across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

An Alphabetical list of the countries deemed as Malaria Hotspots

Malaria Prevention Step 2

Prevent getting bitten by Mosquitoes altogether. Buy a Mosquito net to sleep inside(when you are sleeping you are at your most vulnerable to being bitten). Make sure it is a Mosquito net that has been covered with insecticide as this will deter the Mosquitoes from coming near it let alone you inside it. Insect repellent is something that is always useful to spray on your body and clothes to act as a deterrent. It may not smell particularly attractive but that's the idea as far as the Mosquitoes are concerned. This applies more specifically to evening and night time when bites are most likely to occur, if you can avoid being outside at these times this will also go a long way to helping you. If you do go out then as well as using the repellent you should wear clothes that leaves as little of your skin exposed as possible, this may not be easy in the type of heat known in these countries but a long sleeved t-shirt or lightweight trousers can still be comfortable.

Using a plug in air freshener designed to release insecticide is another good idea as this will put Mosquitoes off entering the room or at the least from staying in it.

Malaria Prevention Step 3

There are many medicines available that will aid Malaria Prevention. Which medicine to take depends on which of the Malaria Hotspots you will be visiting. Some may be available from a chemist but it is always a good idea to check with your doctor who will be able to advise on which medicines you should get or that they may be able to prescribe you. This is because some drugs and medicines are not suitable for certain people such as those going through pregnancy. As with any drugs and medicines there may be some side effects but none of which are going to be as bad as contracting Malaria itself so do not let them put you off. Also if you were not to take them and risk getting the disease then your survival would entail taking drugs and feeling a great deal worse through the treatment of Malaria and from experiencing the symptoms of Malaria.

For an in depth look into the malaria prophylaxis or anti malaria tablets that are available for travellers to take before, during and after entering a malaria hotspot please see out malaria prophylaxis/malaria tablets page.

A list of medicines used for Malaria Prevention are as follows:

Atovaquone and Proguanil

These drugs are used as a combination to aid preventing ever having to suffer the symptoms of Malaria. Proguanil is also used with Chloroquine for Malaria Prevention. Chloroquine tablets can also be used on their own but this is not as effective.

There can be side effects that can include a bad stomach, back pains, mouth ulceration and light headedness.
On shop shelves you want to look out for Malarone (Atovaquone & Proguanil), Avloclor(Chloroquine) and Paludrine (Proguanil).

Please follow the link below if you wish to buy malarone on-line: www.pharmacyescrow.com

Doxycycline

This drug is a very effective across all countries deemed as Malaria hotspots.
There can be side effects which include a bad stomach, skin irritation, coughing, headaches, possible vaginal irritation. When looking for this in stores look out for Vibramycin.

Mefloquine

This is another drug that is known to be effective across all Malaria hotspots.
Side effects with this drug are likely and can include mood swings, sleep disturbance, depression and a concentration deficit. Less dramatic side effects can include light headedness, headaches and skin irritation. You should not take this if you have epilepsy, mental illness or if you suffer from depression or anxiety.
On shop shelves the name of this drug is Lariam.

It is vital to consult a doctor before you travel to any Malaria hotspots as they can recommend a sufficient course of medication for Malaria Prevention, it is not advisable to just go into the chemist and pick the drugs yourself. Once you know which drugs are suitable to you they can be found in chemists or on-line for purchase.