Anti-Malaria

What is Malaria?

Malaria is a life-threatening disease spread by mosquitoes, usually at night and particularly in tropical climates. Symptoms develop within 10 days to 4 weeks; however, the infection can lie dormant for several months before symptoms start to show.

This disease starts when a Plasmodium parasite carried by a mosquito bites a human. The parasites enter the bloodstream, travel to the liver, mature, and multiply.

After multiplication, they re-enter the bloodstream and infect red blood cells, causing fever, chills, headaches, and, in the most serious cases, organ failure or death.

The most common Plasmodium species that infect humans are:

• Plasmodium falciparum: The deadliest and most common species in Africa.
• Plasmodium vivax: Present in Asia and South America, capable of dormant liver stages.
• Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malariae: Although less common, yet important
• Plasmodium knowlesi: A zoonotic parasite of Southeast Asia.

The development of effective preventive strategies can break this cycle by preventing mosquito bites or stopping the parasite from multiplying in the body.

You can learn more about malaria as a condition and read official travel safety advice on the NHS and Gov.uk website:

NHS: Malaria

Gov.uk: Malaria prevention guidelines for travellers from the UK

NHS - Travel Health Advice: important information PDF

Malaria Prevention

Malaria prevention is not just about tablets. The best protection comes from combining malaria prevention tablets with bite avoidance measures (repellent, nets and covering up), because no option provides 100% protection.

Key Points to Know Before You Travel:

● Your destination matters: malaria risk (and drug resistance) varies by country and region.
● Start early: some options need to be started before you travel and continued after you return.
● Consistency is everything: missing doses reduces protection.

If you feel unwell with a fever during your trip or after you return, seek urgent medical help and tell the clinician you’ve travelled.

Ordering Malaria Prevention Tablets Online is Simple:
Complete the short assessment (5 minutes).

Our UK prescribers review your answers to confirm what’s safe and suitable for you.

If approved, your treatment is dispensed and delivered in discreet packaging.

Start your private online assessment now.

Need help? Call us on 01274 050750 or contact our team.

Causes of Malaria

Malaria is caused by parasites and is transmitted through the bites of infected mosquitoes. Most cases affect travellers to areas where malaria is present.

Malaria is not transmitted through casual contact, such as holding hands, kissing, sharing household objects, or using the same toilet seat.

How Do You Get Malaria & How Does It Spread?

Once in the bloodstream, the parasite travels to the liver, where it matures and infects red blood cells, causing malaria symptoms.

There are four main types of malaria parasites:

• P. falciparum: The most severe and deadly form, often leading to severe illness and even death if not treated promptly.
• P. vivax: A common but less deadly form.
• P. ovale: A rare and mild form.
• P. malariae: Usually causes mild illness.
• All types can lead to serious illness

Malaria affects the blood and can also be contracted through anything that contaminates the blood, such as blood transfusions, organ transplants, or shared needles. These instances are extremely rare due to modern screening processes.

Malaria spreads when an infected mosquito bites a person, ingesting the Plasmodium parasite along with the blood. The parasite then multiplies inside the mosquito, moving to its salivary glands.

When the mosquito bites another person, it injects the parasites into their bloodstream. The parasites travel to the liver, mature, and reproduce before re-entering the bloodstream to infect red blood cells.

In rare cases, malaria can also spread through blood transfusions, needle sharing, organ transplants, or from an infected mother to her unborn child before or during delivery.

By following preventive measures like using mosquito repellents, wearing protective clothing, and staying in screened or air-conditioned areas, you can significantly reduce your risk of contracting malaria.

Malaria parasites are continuously evolving and developing resistance to medications. So, no single medication is 100% effective or suitable for everyone.

Each medication differs in duration, dosage, side effects, and tolerability.

There isn’t one best malaria prevention tablet for everyone. The right choice depends on a few key factors:

● Where you’re travelling (risk level and local resistance patterns).
● Length of trip and whether you’re travelling frequently.
● Your medical history (including allergies, existing conditions and current medicines).
● Practical preferences such as daily vs weekly dosing and how you tolerate certain side effects.

If you’re travelling soon, it’s still worth completing an assessment, but planning ahead is ideal. Travel guidance commonly recommends seeking malaria advice several weeks before you go so you have time to start tablets if needed. 

Malaria Prevention Tablets We Offer:

• Doxycycline Capsules: Affordable and reliable, ideal for those planning outdoor activities in malaria-prone regions.
• Atovaquone/Proguanil Tablets: Effective malaria prevention is perfect for travel to high-risk areas.
• Malarone: Fast-acting and highly effective for malaria prevention and treatment.
• Maloff Protect Tablets: Comprehensive protection against malaria and other tropical infections.

When buying malaria prevention tablets, it’s important to use a regulated pharmacy, so your treatment is appropriate for your destination and medical history.

Ashcroft Pharmacy is a certified, accredited online pharmacy. Your malaria prevention medication assessment will be carried out by a medically trained prescriber.

Useful Tips for Aiding Malaria Prevention:

Malaria prevention tablets reduce your risk, but they don’t replace mosquito protection.

Prevention and control of malaria is strongest when you combine medication with mosquito bite avoidance:

● Use insect repellent on exposed skin (high DEET formulations are commonly recommended for malaria areas).
● Sleep under an insecticide-treated mosquito net where needed.
● Wear long sleeves and trousers in the evening when mosquitoes are most active.
● Use air conditioning or screened rooms if available.
● Avoid standing water near your accommodation where mosquitoes breed.

Malaria symptoms can develop while you are travelling or after you return home. Malaria can be life-threatening, so fever or flu-like symptoms after travel should be treated as urgent.

Possible Symptoms Include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Sweating
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Fatigue
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Cough
• Rapid breathing
• Rapid heart rate

Severe Malaria Symptoms

In severe cases, malaria can cause seizures, coma, and even death. If you think you may have malaria, it is important to see a doctor right away.
Here are some of the emergency signs of severe malaria:

• High fever
• Severe headache
• Confusion
• Seizures
• Difficulty breathing
• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
• Bloody stools
• Severe anemia (low red blood cell count)

If you experience any of these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately.