Listen to Music

There are a number of Malaria tablets on the market so it's very important that you seek your doctor's advice at least 2 weeks before you leave on your trip and earlier if you want time to decide which medication is best for you. There are a number of reasons you want to do this at least two weeks and as much as a month before you plan to leave on your trip. Your planned activities may be a factor, but since the tablets affect everyone differently, your medical history may play a more prominent role in your available choices.

Make sure that you follow the dosages and schedules exactly because if you don't you could experience undesirable side effects and you may even decrease the effectiveness of the malaria tablets which could substantially reduce their effectiveness which could make you more susceptible to catching this potentially life threatening illness.

Since we aren’t physicians, the information presented here is intended to inform you of some of the options available and not to serve as medical advice. You must consult a physician before taking any of these medications and talk to him or her about other options that may also be available to you.

Types of Malaria Tablets Available

Malarone®
This is a combination of two drugs (atovaquone and proguanil HCI) and only needs to be taken 2 days before travel to a malaria risk area.

The adult dosage for Malarone is 1 tablet per day taken with food or milk and must be continued for 7 days after leaving the malaria area. This tablet is believed to be about 98% effective and is a prescription medication.

The side effects are few and rare, even for children. However, some people develop abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and headache while taking Malarone.

Doxycycline:
This tablet is also used as an antibiotic and is produced under various brand names. The first dose needs to be taken at least 2 days before arrival in the risk area.

The adult dosage is 100mg (1 tablet) per day taken with a full glass of water and must be continued for at least four weeks after leaving the malaria risk area. This medication is believed to be over 90% effective and is also a prescription medication. However, Doxycycline is Not recommended for children under the age of 8.

The most common reported side effect is increased sun sensitivity so make sure that you take all necessary precautions to avoid sunburn. Additional side effects may include mild nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, trouble swallowing, or vaginal yeast infections in female travelers.

Lariam® (mefloquine hydrochloride):
The adult dose for this tablet is one tablet, once per week and the first dose needs to be taken one week before arrival in the malaria risk area and then once a week on the same day while in the malaria area. Lariam must be continued for at least four weeks after leaving the malaria risk area. This medication is over 90% effective and is also a prescription medication.

Lariam should be taken on a full stomach after a meal. The possible side effects include headache, nausea, dizziness, difficulty sleeping, anxiety, paranoia, vivid dreams and visual disturbances.

If you're worried about the side effects, it's a good idea to start taking the tablets several weeks prior to your safari to see how it will affect you.

Paludrine® (proguanil) and Chloroquine:
These two drugs should be taken in conjunction with each other, however in Africa the malarial mosquito has built up a resistance to these tablets so they are now less than 60% effective in most parts of the continent. This prevention treatment is Not recommended for your safari and should be the choice of last resort if traveling to Africa.

Money saving tip: Ask your doctor or pharmacist for generic malaria tablets. Malaria Prevention is better than a cure.

Anti malaria tablets reduce your risk of infection with approximately 80% to 98% depending on your destination and general health but no anti-malarial drug regimen provides 100% protection even if used strictly according to the guidelines. This really means that prevention of mosquito bites is also very important even if you are taking malaria tablets regularly.

Here are some effective preventative measures...

Clothing:
Covering up any exposed skin is the key here. Wear long trousers and long sleeve shirts with socks to cover your ankles at dusk, during the night and also in the early mornings. Make it as difficult as possible for the mosquitoes to bite you.

Mosquito Netting:
If you are not staying in an air conditioned or well screened room then sleeping under a mosquito net that covers your bed is a very good idea. You may also want to make sure the net has been sprayed with the insecticide permethrin which both repels and kills mosquitoes as an added precaution.

It's also a good idea to clear your room of any mosquitoes that might be there BEFORE you go to sleep. You can use mosquito coils and/or a flying insect spray. We also recommend the BugBand bead bags for this purpose.

Mosquito Repellent:
The most recommended repellent protection is provided by products that contain DEET. You need to re-apply virtually all repellent products after a certain period of time (check the product specifications) for it to remain effective. Higher concentrations of DEET may last longer but anything over 50% provides no added protection and may present harmful or undesired side effects, both long and short term. We have seen DEET products actually damage the finish on wood stock weapons and similar materials. We now recommend using the BugBand spray on lotion, towelettes and the wrist band in some situations for added mosquito bite protection.

Bite Treatment:
Treating mosquito bites in a malaria risk environment is also something that you should consider. Mepyramine Maleate is a highly rated medication recommended for the relief of itching from bites, stings and nettle rash and generally comes in a 2% cream formula.

You may also want to consider traveling with a Malaria treatment kit which you may be able to obtain from your physician in the event that you may be more than 24 hours from a treatment facility while on your safari. If you suspect that you are having an attack of malaria seek medical attention immediately. There are certain situations such as trekking or in rural areas with poor transport where you may need to start treating yourself.

Here is a brief guide:
The most common symptoms: fever, chills, headache.

Other symptoms that may occur: cough, stomach pains, diarrhea, vomiting which may mislead you into thinking some other disease is responsible.

Alternatively the fever and chills could be due to an infection not specific to the area being visited such as the flu or other viruses. As a general rule, if you develop a fever in malaria risk area or you have passed through a malaria risk area and there is no medical help available, then start a course of treatment as advised by your health care provider or physician prior to your departure.

Remember - Malaria can take weeks or months to develop after being bitten. Even if the treatment appears to be working you should still seek medical attention as soon as possible. This may also be a good time to emphasize that malaria is not the only potential problem or disease one may encounter while adventuring to malaria endemic regions and the information regarding bite avoidance can reduce the risk of a range of other tropical diseases as well.

Information and advice published or made available through this web site is not intended to replace the services of a physician, nor does it constitute a doctor-patient relationship. Information on this web site is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.