Anti-Malaria Treatments

Malaria is a tropical disease spread mainly by female Anopheles mosquitoes infected with parasites called Plasmodium. These mosquitoes tend to bite at dusk or during the night time, injecting the parasite into the human bloodstream.

Symptoms of malaria include a high fever, headache, sweating, chills, vomiting, muscle pains, and diarrhoea. A single bite from an infected mosquito is enough to contract the disease, but the symptoms can show up 7 to 18 days after being bitten.

There is no guarantee that a malaria vaccination can prevent the disease; it can only reduce the chances. However, there are several drugs available, such as Malarone, Mefloquine (branded as Lariam), and Doxycycline, that can be used to treat a malarial infection.

Prevention is always better than cure, so, alternatively, you can stay away from stagnant water, make sure you are up to date with your vaccinations if you are entering an area where malaria is endemic, and use insect repellents and mosquito nets as precautions.

Whether you need antimalarial tablets depends entirely on where you are travelling. Malaria risk varies enormously between countries, and even between regions and seasons within the same country, so there is no single answer that applies to a destination such as Thailand, India or Kenya. It is worth checking your exact itinerary against up-to-date guidance from the NHS Fit for Travel and TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC) websites, which give country-by-country advice, including which tablets are recommended where. When you start a consultation with Pharmica, our prescribing team reviews your travel plans and medical history to confirm whether prophylaxis is needed and which tablet suits your trip.

Timing differs between tablets, so it is worth checking which one you have been prescribed. Malarone and generic Atovaquone/Proguanil are started 1 to 2 days before you enter a malaria area and only need to be continued for 7 days after you leave. Doxycycline is also started 1 to 2 days before travel but must be continued for 4 weeks after your return. Lariam (Mefloquine) needs a longer run-up of 2 to 3 weeks before travel, partly so any side effects can be picked up before you go, and it is also continued for 4 weeks after you leave. Most tablets do not stop the parasite entering your body; they work on it after it emerges from the liver, which can happen weeks after you get home. Stopping early is one of the most common reasons prevention fails, so it is worth setting a reminder to finish the full course even once your holiday feels like a distant memory.

Malarone, generic Atovaquone/Proguanil and Doxycycline are prescription-only medicines in the UK, so they are not available on general pharmacy shelves. At Pharmica, you can complete a short online consultation instead of booking a GP or travel clinic appointment. Our prescribing team reviews your answers and travel plans, confirms which tablet is suitable, and, once approved, your medication is dispensed and delivered directly to you.