Malaria prevention
Get effective malaria prevention from Treated.
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Buy malaria prevention treatment online.
Malaria is a deadly illness that’s spread through mosquito bites that can cause symptoms like fever, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Taking antimalarial treatments when you travel can provide effective protection from malaria. Order malaria prevention treatments online with Treated and get expert help and advice.
Here’s what's included in the price:
Consultation
Answer a few questions about your health so we can get to know you better.
Free 24h delivery
Your treatment delivered in secure packaging, the very next day.
Aftercare
We’ll check in with you regularly to see how your treatment is going.
This page was medically reviewed by Dr Daniel Atkinson, GP Clinical Lead on August 02, 2022. Next review due on August 01, 2024.
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Malaria Prevention: Here's what we've got.
Malarone
Atovaquone + ProguanilWorks in most malarious regions. Once daily tablet you start 2 days before travel.
- Starting from £75.00
Maloff Protect
Atovaquone + ProguanilLike Malarone, but doesn't need a prescription. Start two days before you enter a malaria risk zone.
- Starting from £49.00
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Disclaimer: The information provided on this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any questions or concerns about your health, please talk to a doctor.
Reference Popover #ref1
Treated trusted source
World Health Organization (2021).
Malaria. Who.int. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malaria
Reference Popover #ref2
Treated trusted source
Medlineplus.gov. (2015).
Malaria: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000621.htm
Reference Popover #ref3
Treated trusted source
Schumacher, R.-F. and Spinelli, E. (2012).
Malaria in Children. Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, 4(1). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3507524/
What is malaria prevention treatment?
When an infected mosquito bites you, it can pass a parasite onto you. There are five parasites that can cause malaria, but most cases are caused by just two: Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax .
The vast majority of malaria cases occur in Africa. Only 6% of cases occur in countries on other continents . After a bite from an infected mosquito, the Plasmodium parasites use your bloodstream to go into your liver. Once there, they grow and mature until they’re ready to reproduce. Then they return to your bloodstream where they infect your red blood cells and multiply. Every two or three days the infected blood cells burst, releasing more parasites into your bloodstream to repeat the cycle .
Most people with malaria get better if they’re diagnosed and treated early. Malaria can be fatal without treatment, and approximately 86% of people worldwide who die from malaria are younger than five years old.
There are treatments that prevent malaria when taken prophylactically (pre-emptively). People who travel to places where malaria is endemic often take these drugs. When taken as directed by your clinician, malaria prevention treatments should keep you from getting malaria even if you get bitten by an infected mosquito.
Who needs malaria prevention?
Anopheles mosquitoes transmit malaria in over 100 countries across the world . Anyone who travels to an area with active malaria transmission should consider using preventive treatment. These areas often include countries in Africa, parts of the Middle East, and Central and South America.
Preventing malaria is easier than treating it. If you’re planning to travel internationally, you can use the FitForTravel and the CDC Malaria Database
to see if there’s malaria transmission where you’re going, and make sure you speak to a clinician to get a prescription for antimalarial treatment before you go.
How common is malaria?
Despite increasing efforts to limit the spread of malaria, it still remains a common infection.
About 229 million people were infected with malaria in 2019, and 409,000 of them died . Some areas have much higher rates of transmission than others. Malaria infections in African countries account for 94% of cases worldwide .
This page was medically reviewed by Dr Daniel Atkinson, GP Clinical Lead on August 02, 2022. Next review due on August 01, 2024.
How we source info.
When we present you with stats, data, opinion or a consensus, we’ll tell you where this came from. And we’ll only present data as clinically reliable if it’s come from a reputable source, such as a state or government-funded health body, a peer-reviewed medical journal, or a recognised analytics or data body. Read more in our editorial policy.
What causes malaria?
Malaria is caused by being bitten by an Anopheles mosquito that has been infected with Plasmodium parasites. Once you’ve been bitten, the parasite travels to your liver to mature and release merozoites, which are a different form of the parasite.
These merozoites enter your bloodstream, where they infect and destroy red blood cells . As malaria progresses, the symptoms can become more severe.
What are the symptoms of malaria?
Shortly after infection, there aren’t that many symptoms of malaria. In fact, it can lie dormant for weeks or months. In some very rare cases, it can be years before you start noticing any strong symptoms . When someone becomes symptomatic, they can experience:
- Muscle aches
- Joint pain
- Fatigue
- Chills
- Diarrhea
- Stomach pain
- Coughing
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Increased heart rate
- Rapid breathing
The earliest someone might experience symptoms is around 10 days after a mosquito bit them .
Can malaria lead to other problems?
Untreated malaria can be fatal, or at least lead to serious complications. Without treatment, you could develop: pulmonary edema, cerebral malaria, kidney failure, bleeding or severe anemia .
Reference Popover #ref2
Treated trusted source
Medlineplus.gov. (2015).
Malaria: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000621.htm
Reference Popover #ref3
Treated trusted source
Schumacher, R.-F. and Spinelli, E. (2012).
Malaria in Children. Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, 4(1). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3507524/
Reference Popover #ref4
Treated trusted source
Marteau, A., Ouedraogo, E., Van der Meersch, G., Akhoundi, M., Souhail, B., Cohen, Y., Bouchaud, O. and Izri, A. (2021).
Severe long-delayed malaria caused by Plasmodium malariae in an elderly French patient. Malaria Journal, 20(1).
Reference Popover #ref5
Treated trusted source
CDC (2018).
CDC - Malaria - About Malaria - FAQs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/about/faqs.html
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Treated trusted source
Trampuz, A., Jereb, M., Muzlovic, I. and Prabhu, R.M. (2003).
Clinical review: Severe Malaria. Critical Care, 7(4), p.315. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC270697/
What medications are there for malaria prevention?
There are a range of options available to prevent malaria, such as Malarone (atovaquone/proguanil), Lariam (Mefloquine) and Doxycycline. Each option has different active ingredients. Different treatments might work better for some strains of malaria than others. Depending on drug resistance and which parasite is transmitted in a given area, our clinician should be able to prescribe a specific treatment for you.
Is there a ‘best’ treatment for malaria prevention?
A variety of factors will determine which treatment could be best for you to avoid getting malaria. Your personal health history, as well as specific details about the strain and severity of malaria that’s transmitted where you’re going will help our clinician to prescribe the right medication.
Different treatments have different lengths and methods of treatment. People who take atovaquone/proguanil hydrochloride, doxycycline and primaquine to prevent malaria can begin treatment a day or two before they travel. However people who take Paludrine/Avloclor and Lariam will need to start one or two weeks before they depart . The biggest difference between these treatments is how long you’ll have to carry on taking them for once you’ve returned.
Some drugs, like Malarone and Primaquine, only need to be taken for seven days after you get home. Whereas Doxycycline, Paludrine/Avloclor and Lariam still have to be taken for another four weeks once you’ve got back .
Do you always need malaria prevention?
Any time that you travel to a place with active malaria transmission, you’ll need malaria prevention drugs. You should still take steps to avoid mosquito bites if you’re taking prophylactic treatments. Using bug spray, mosquito nets, and clothing that covers your arms and legs will help to prevent uncomfortable mosquito bites.
Reference Popover #ref9
Treated trusted source
CDC. (2019).
CDC - Malaria - About Malaria - Where Malaria Occurs
Reference Popover #ref8
Treated trusted source
World Health Organisation (2019).
Malaria. Who.int.
Reference Popover #ref7
Treated trusted source
Anon, (2019).
CDC - Malaria - Travelers - Choosing a Drug to Prevent Malaria. https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/travelers/drugs.html
FAQ: Malaria prevention
Have something specific you want to know? Search our info below, or ask our experts a question if you can’t find what you’re looking for.
How is malaria diagnosed?
Answer:
Your doctor can diagnose you with malaria by looking at your symptoms, doing blood tests, and by asking you about your travel history. Prior to your travel plans, make sure that you discuss malaria prevention options with your doctor. If you can safely take medication during your trip, you should prevent long term side effects from malarial infection.
Are there different types of malaria?
Answer:
Yes, there are five different parasites that can cause malaria. Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax cause the majority of cases, and Plasmodium falciparum is also the most deadly strain .
Malaria is transmitted in many different places around the world. Plasmodium falciparum is primarily transmitted in sub-Saharan African countries. This is because temperature plays a major role in the transmission of malaria. The parasites that cause malaria can’t thrive below 20 degrees Celsius .
Different strains are transmitted in different regions. This is why it’s important to tell your clinician where you’re traveling so that you can receive the most suitable malaria prevention treatment.
Malaria is transmitted in many different places around the world. Plasmodium falciparum is primarily transmitted in sub-Saharan African countries. This is because temperature plays a major role in the transmission of malaria. The parasites that cause malaria can’t thrive below 20 degrees Celsius .
Different strains are transmitted in different regions. This is why it’s important to tell your clinician where you’re traveling so that you can receive the most suitable malaria prevention treatment.
Can you get side effects from malaria prevention treatment?
Answer:
There are a range of side effects associated with prophylactic malarial medications, and they can be different depending on which drug you take. Common side effects include headaches, diarrhea, stomach pains, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, insomnia and mood changes.
The side effects are usually mild, but more severe side effects can sometimes include lung inflammation, allergic reaction, vision loss, and some heart conditions.
These side effects can vary depending on how you react to them, and different treatments can come with different side effects. For more detailed information on specific medications, you can look at our dedicated product pages.
The side effects are usually mild, but more severe side effects can sometimes include lung inflammation, allergic reaction, vision loss, and some heart conditions.
These side effects can vary depending on how you react to them, and different treatments can come with different side effects. For more detailed information on specific medications, you can look at our dedicated product pages.
Does malaria prevention treatment always work?
Answer:
You’ll need to make sure that you take an antimalarial treatment that’s suitable for where you’re going, and that you take it correctly, for it to be most effective. But when used correctly, it can be highly effective, although it won’t prevent malaria in every case. Discuss your travel plans and medical history with us and we’ll help you to choose the appropriate course of treatment.
Why should I buy malaria prevention treatment online with Treated?
Answer:
Talk to us about your health, and we can prescribe you the malaria prevention that you need.
Our experts will give you guidance on how to take your treatment to get the most out of it, and it can be delivered to you as early as the next working day. After you’ve received your treatment, we’ll check in with you to make sure everything’s going okay.
Our experts will give you guidance on how to take your treatment to get the most out of it, and it can be delivered to you as early as the next working day. After you’ve received your treatment, we’ll check in with you to make sure everything’s going okay.
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