How to Prevent Malaria

Malaria is a disease spread by mosquitos that leads to fever and chills, and can be deadly if left untreated. If you're traveling to a country affected by high rates of malaria, you can prevent catching the disease by taking medication before, during and after your trip. Taking precautions to keep mosquito bites to a minimum also helps prevent malaria. See Step 1 and beyond to learn how to keep yourself safe from this disease.

EditSteps

EditTaking Preventative Medicine

Figure out whether you're at risk for contracting malaria. If you're traveling to a country with high rates of malaria, it's important to take precautions to make sure you don't contract it. Malaria is preventable, but only if you take the right medication before, during and after your time around mosquitos that carry the disease. If you're traveling to one of the following regions, you'll need to take medication:^[1]
- Africa
- Central and South America
- Parts of the Caribbean Asia, Eastern Europe, and the South Pacific

Schedule a doctor's appointment 6 weeks in advance of your trip. Start your trip planning early so you can start taking preventative medication before you set out on your journey. Schedule an appointment with your doctor to take place at least 6 weeks before you leave. As an alternative, you may schedule an appointment at a travel clinic in your area.

Get a prescription for malaria pills. Talk to your doctor about where exactly you are traveling so that he or she can provide a prescription for medication most effective against malaria in the place where you're traveling. The type of medicine differs according to where in the world you're going to be exposed to malaria, so it's important to go over each and every place you'll be.^[2]
- There is no vaccine for malaria. Instead, your doctor will prescribe the same type of medicine that is used to treat malaria, and you'll take it the entire time you're at risk of exposure.
- Make sure to discuss your other medications and health conditions that could affect which prescription you're given. For example, some malaria medicines shouldn't be taken while you're pregnant, and others shouldn't be used by people with certain psychiatric conditions.
- In addition to getting the medicine you need to prevent malaria, your doctor or travel clinic attendant should check whether there are any other diseases you will be at risk of contracting.

Take the medication as prescribed. Some pills need to be started at least a week in advance of your trip, while others can be started just one or two days beforehand. Some need to be taken once a day, others multiple times per day. The important thing to remember is that whatever your prescription directs, follow it to a T. Malaria drugs are more effective when they're taken as indicated.
- If your malaria pill is supposed to be taken once a day, take it at the same time every day.
- Keep taking the pills for the entire duration of time recommended by your doctor. In many cases you'll need to take the pills for a week or more after leaving the area where there's risk of malaria exposure.
- Follow instructions to prevent being harmed by side effects. For example, some malaria pills make you more prone to getting a sunburn, so be sure to use sunscreen to protect your skin.^[3]

EditPreventing Mosquito Bites

Be conscious when booking your accommodations. What is your style of travel? Will you be staying in air conditioned hotels or do you plan on backpacking/budget travel? If possible, stay in screened quarters or quarters with air conditioning.

Use a mosquito net. Mosquito nets are lightweight, tightly-woven nets that are very effective at keeping mosquitos out of your tent or bed at night. Since you may not be able to find a mosquito net where you're going, buy one to take with you wherever you travel. Set it up over your sleeping area each night before you go to sleep.
- Get dressed inside your mosquito net in the morning.
- Make sure to check it regularly for tears. You might want to bring an extra net as a backup.

Keep doors and windows closed. If possible, you should keep doors and windows tightly sealed while you're indoors. People who sleep outside or are exposed to the outdoors at night are at much higher risk of contracting malaria. Whether or not you are able to close the doors and windows (it might be impractical if you're in a very hot, muggy place) use a mosquito net over your bed.

Wear long pants and sleeves. You'll greatly reduce the number of mosquito bites you get if you wear long pants and sleeves while you're out and about during the day. Bring high quality lightweight clothing that will allow your body to breathe while protecting you from bites.

Use mosquito spray. Choose the mosquito spray that's most effective in the area where you're traveling. DEET and DOOM are two very commonly-used brands. Apply the spray to your clothing and the room where you're staying for best results.

Stay inside between dusk and dawn if possible. Try to plan activities that permit you to be in protected areas between dusk and dawn.The mosquito that transmits malaria attacks at night.

EditTreating Malaria

See a doctor if you experience symptoms. If you feel sick during or after travel and you're worried you were exposed to malaria, make an appointment to see a doctor right away. It's important to get treatment as soon as possible. Early malaria symptoms include the following:^[4]
- High fever
- Shaking chills
- Profuse sweating
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea

Get treatment. The medication your doctor prescribes to get rid of the parasites that cause malaria will depend on where the disease was contracted, as well as other factors like whether you're pregnant. Treatment usually consists of taking a course of medication for a extended period of time.^[5] Drugs commonly used to treat malaria include the following:
- Chloroquine
- Quinine sulfate
- Hydroxychloroquine
- Mefloquine
- Combination of atovaquone and proguanil

Keep monitoring your health after travel. While most cases of malaria become apparent within about 2 weeks of contracting the disease, in some cases symptoms show up much later. The parasite that causes malaria can lie dormant in the body for weeks or months. Keep tabs on your health and see a doctor right away if you experience flu-like symptoms that could be symptoms of malaria.

EditTips

Before traveling visit a physician to determine the most appropriate drug to take for malaria prevention. Travel medicine clinics are a great source of information and advice.

EditWarnings

Purchase your antimalarial drugs before you travel overseas. People in countries that are at high risk for malaria have been known to sell "fake" or substandard drugs to travelers.