Interpreting the malaria map to work out if there is a risk of malaria at your destination is a chore. The risk of exposure to the parasite that causes malaria changes with the seasons so it can be difficult to work out what steps you need to take to avoid this dangerous feverish illness.
Is there a risk of malaria at my destination?
It’s best to get support from a travel health adviser to judge your risk from malaria. This is because the World Health Organization’s malaria map is always changing. At your healthcare appointment with Global Travel Clinics, the healthcare adviser will tell you whether there is a malaria risk, and they will explain what steps you can take to avoid exposure to the malaria parasite, and also how to prevent the parasite from giving you malaria.
How do I protect myself from malaria while traveling?
Malaria prophylaxis drugs offer good protection against malaria. It’s best to get advice about antimalarial tablets, as there are a few different kinds to choose from. Not every antimalarial is suitable for every destination or every person.
Not only that, but you need to start antimalarials before you arrive, and continue taking them after you leave the region where malaria occurs. Timing is important with malaria prophylaxis! When you come to Global Travel Clinics for your antimalarials, our advisers can look over your travel plans and tell you exactly when to start and stop taking your malaria tablets.
The decision-making gets even more difficult for a long or multi-stop trip, so make life easy for yourself and get advice on avoiding malaria from Global Travel Clinics before you travel.
There’s no need for you to count days and make guesses when it comes to protection from malaria. To get the most up-to-date and effective advice on avoiding malaria, make an appointment with Global Travel Clinics six to eight weeks before you depart. If you have a complex, multi-stop trip coming up, ask for a double appointment to ensure our travel health adviser has enough time to go through everything.
What is malaria?
Malaria is a feverish illness that can make you sick for a very long time. It is caused by a parasite that gets into your body through the bite of an infected mosquito.
If you think you have malaria, seek medical advice promptly. Malaria can be fatal in some cases.
Be cautious about any feverish illness that you get within a year of returning from travel. Speak with your healthcare provider and tell them where you have visited.
How do I avoid exposure to the malaria parasite?
You can reduce the chances of getting malaria by avoiding mosquito bites.
But healthcare experts recommend backing up mosquito avoidance tactics by taking antimalarial drugs. Antimalarials, if taken correctly, will increase your protection against the disease if you do get bitten by a mosquito carrying the parasite.
Where can I learn about mosquito bite avoidance?
When you come for your travel health appointment at our travel clinic in Stafford, you can get the latest advice on avoiding mosquito bites during travel. This includes using a DEET insect repellent, opting for air-conditioned accommodation, or sleeping under mosquito nets; and choosing clothing with long sleeves and long pant legs.
We also have a travel advice article about avoiding mosquito bites.
Are antimalarials suitable for everyone?
Not everyone can take every kind of antimalarial drug. The travel health adviser will take a medical history from you to find out if that’s the case for you. They can tell you more about the risk of exposure to the malaria parasite, and about steps you can take to reduce these risks. You can also ask your usual health team for advice on whether it’s possible to make malaria prophylaxis work for you.
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