When do i need malaria tablets

Malaria can be treated, but certain types of the disease can recur, affecting you for life. This is why prevention is so important if you are travelling to a malaria risk area. If you are stung, the only way to avoid malaria is if you have been taking anti-malaria tablets. You must start taking these before reaching the malaria risk area for them to be most effective. The treatment you need depends on where you are travelling.

Visit Fit For Travel and search your destination — this will tell you which active ingredients are effective against the malaria in that region. If you are travelling a long way, you may need more than one type of tablet.

Request the pack size you require, based on the length of your trip, and complete your consultation questionnaire. We will use this information to assess whether the requested treatment is safe and suitable for you to take.

Select collection or delivery at checkout. Recommended drugs for each country are listed in alphabetical order and have comparable efficacy in that country. For all medicines, also consider the possibility of drug-drug interactions with other medicines that the person might be taking as well as other medical contraindications, such as drug allergies.

When several different drugs are recommended for an area, the following table might help in the decision process. Good for last-minute travelers because the drug is started days before traveling to an area where malaria transmission occurs Some people prefer to take a daily medicine Good choice for shorter trips because you only have to take the medicine for 7 days after traveling rather than 4 weeks Very well tolerated medicine — side effects uncommon Pediatric tablets are available and may be more convenient Cannot be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding a child less than 5 kg Cannot be taken by people with severe renal impairment Tends to be more expensive than some of the other options especially for trips of long duration Some people including children would rather not take a medicine every day.

Some people would rather take medicine weekly Good choice for long trips because it is taken only weekly Some people are already taking hydroxychloroquine chronically for rheumatologic conditions. In those instances, they may not have to take an additional medicine Can be used in all trimesters of pregnancy Cannot be used in areas with chloroquine or mefloquine resistance May exacerbate psoriasis Some people would rather not take a weekly medication For trips of short duration, some people would rather not take medication for 4 weeks after travel Not a good choice for last-minute travelers because drug needs to be started weeks prior to travel.

Drug Reasons that might make you consider using this drug Reasons that might make you avoid using this drug Doxycycline Adults: mg daily. Some people prefer to take a daily medicine Good for last-minute travelers because the drug is started days before traveling to an area where malaria transmission occurs Tends to be the least expensive antimalarial Some people are already taking doxycycline chronically for prevention of acne. In those instances, they do not have to take an additional medicine Doxycycline also can prevent some additional infections e.

Drug Reasons that might make you consider using this drug Reasons that might make you avoid using this drug Mefloquine Adults: mg base mg salt , weekly. Some people would rather take medicine weekly Good choice for long trips because it is taken only weekly Can be used during pregnancy Cannot be used in areas with mefloquine resistance Cannot be used in patients with certain psychiatric conditions Cannot be used in patients with a seizure disorder Not recommended for persons with cardiac conduction abnormalities Not a good choice for last-minute travelers because drug needs to be started at least 2 weeks prior to travel Some people would rather not take a weekly medication For trips of short duration, some people would rather not take medication for 4 weeks after travel.

Refers to P. Estimates of malaria species are based on best available data from multiple sources. Several medications are available for chemoprophylaxis. When deciding which drug to use, consider specific itinerary, length of trip, cost of drug, previous adverse reactions to antimalarials, drug allergies, and current medical history. In fact, travellers with the highest risk of malaria infection are those who no longer live in a malaria-endemic country but return to a malarious region to visit their friends or family.

Their immunity wanes while living in a malaria-free country because they are no longer exposed to malaria parasites. However, when travelling to a malarious area, they face the same level of risk as travellers who have never been exposed.

Previous malaria infection does not confer immunity so if you travel again to an area with malaria, preventive measures are necessary. Photo by Alexander Wild. Used under license. Travel Health Journal. Should I take antimalarial medication? How do I get a prescription for it? Should I change or stop taking my prescribed medication? Why do I have to take antimalarial medication for so long? What about the side effects of antimalarial medication?

Side effects can include: Chloroquine — stomach upsets, itching skin, nausea, diarrhea, blurred vision, and headaches. Doxycycline — photosensitive skin reactions. Primaquine phosphate — nausea and abdominal pain. What should I do if I miss a dose?