Malaria

Malaria is a tropical disease spread by mosquitoes, which can cause fever, headache and, in severe cases, coma or death. The risk of contracting Malaria in affected areas is significant. Approximately 1,500 travellers return to the UK with Malaria every year. In 2015, there were 1,400 cases of Malaria reported among UK travellers, including six deaths.

We provide a wide range of anti-malarials in our clinics. Simply book a consultation and one of our expert nurses will access your needs and recommend the appropriate medication. These can then be purchased on the day.

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Prevention

If you are travelling to an area with a risk of Malaria you may be recommended to take anti-malarial tablets to prevent you from becoming infected. Be sure to also use repellent and mosquito nets to increase your level of safety. There are a range of different anti-malarial tablets that will be prescribed to travellers based on several factors, including: destination, medical history, family history, current medications, previous problems with anti-malarial tablets, age and pregnancy.

Being aware of your risk is a huge factor in protecting yourself from the disease, so be sure to speak to one of us while planning your trip.

Countries at risk

Malaria is a large worldwide problem. The World Health Organization estimates that there were 243 million cases and nearly 1 million deaths from Malaria in 2008.

Anti-malarials are available with a prescription. We can provide you with your anti-malarials during your consultation and, unlike other travel clinics, we do NOT charge a fee for writing a prescription.

Travel Precautions

Many cases of malaria can be prevented by the ABCD approach:

  • Awareness of risk: know your risk of malaria.
  • Bite prevention: avoid bites as much as possible.
  • Chemoprophylaxis: take the right anti-malarial tablets.
  • Diagnosis: get immediate medical help for symptoms.

Signs and Symptoms

Typical symptoms of Malaria include shivering, fever, joint pain, vomiting, jaundice and convulsions. The classic symptom of Malaria is a sudden coldness followed by fever and sweating.

In severe cases, Malaria can progress extremely rapidly, induce a coma and even death within hours or days.

Young children and pregnant women are especially vulnerable to the disease.