Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease caused by Plasmodium parasites, spread to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes in tropical and subtropical regions. There is no vaccine for travellers, so prevention relies on antimalarial tablets and mosquito bite avoidance.
How it spreads
Through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito, which feeds mainly between dusk and dawn. It is not passed by everyday person-to-person contact.
Where it occurs
Across tropical and subtropical regions, with the highest risk in sub-Saharan Africa and further risk in parts of South and Southeast Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East, and Central and South America.
Main symptoms
Flu-like illness with high fever, chills and sweats, headache, muscle aches and tiredness, sometimes with nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea.
Who is most at risk
Travellers to malarious areas, especially those visiting friends and relatives, pregnant women, young children, older people and anyone without a functioning spleen.
Is a vaccine available
No malaria vaccine is available for travellers. Protection relies on antimalarial tablets and mosquito bite avoidance.
How to reduce your risk
Follow the ABCD approach: be Aware of risk, prevent Bites, take Chemoprophylaxis (antimalarial tablets) as prescribed, and seek prompt Diagnosis of any fever.
Malaria is a serious, sometimes fatal infection caused by Plasmodium parasites spread through the bites of infected mosquitoes in tropical and subtropical regions. There is no malaria vaccine for travellers, so prevention relies on taking the correct antimalarial tablets for your destination and avoiding mosquito bites, especially between dusk and dawn. Crewe Travel Clinic provides an individual malaria risk assessment, antimalarial prescriptions where appropriate, and bite-avoidance advice for your specific trip.
Malaria is a potentially life-threatening infection caused by single-celled Plasmodium parasites that are passed to humans through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito, which typically bites between dusk and dawn. Five species cause disease in people, with Plasmodium falciparum responsible for the most severe and rapidly progressing illness, particularly across sub-Saharan Africa. Once inside the body the parasites travel to the liver, multiply, and then go on to infect red blood cells, producing the cyclical fevers that are characteristic of the disease.
For UK travellers, malaria is one of the most important health risks to plan for before visiting affected parts of Africa, Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East, Central and South America. Each year people return to the UK with malaria, and a number of these cases are serious because preventive measures were missed or stopped early. Falciparum malaria can become a medical emergency within hours, so understanding your destination's risk and taking the right precautions is essential. Importantly, no antimalarial tablet is 100 percent effective, which is why tablets and bite-avoidance measures should always be used together rather than relying on one alone.
There is currently no malaria vaccine available for travellers (the licensed malaria vaccines are used in childhood immunisation programmes in high-burden countries, not for travel protection). Protection for travellers therefore rests on the ABCD approach promoted by UK health authorities: Awareness of risk, Bite avoidance, Chemoprophylaxis (antimalarial tablets) and prompt Diagnosis and treatment of any fever. At Crewe Travel Clinic we assess your specific itinerary and provide tailored advice and prescriptions where appropriate.
Malaria is spread by the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito, which feeds mainly between dusk and dawn. When the mosquito bites, it injects Plasmodium parasites that travel to the liver and then multiply in the red blood cells. The disease is not spread directly from person to person through everyday contact. Rarely, it can also pass through infected blood transfusions, shared needles, or from a pregnant woman to her baby. Because the mosquitoes that carry malaria bite during the night, evening and night-time bite protection is especially important.
Symptoms usually begin from around 7 days after being bitten, but can appear up to a year later, and occasionally longer, after returning home. Early features are often flu-like and include high fever, chills and sweats, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and sometimes nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea. The classic cyclical pattern of fever may not always be present. Falciparum malaria can deteriorate rapidly into severe illness with confusion, breathing difficulty, jaundice, seizures, kidney problems or coma. Any fever or flu-like illness during travel to a malaria area, or within a year of returning, should be treated as a medical emergency until malaria has been ruled out by a blood test.
Malaria occurs across large parts of the tropics and subtropics. The highest risk is in sub-Saharan Africa, where most cases and deaths occur. There is also risk in parts of South and Southeast Asia (including areas of India, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea), the Pacific Islands, the Middle East, and Central and South America, including parts of the Amazon basin. Risk varies widely between countries and even between regions within a country, and can differ by altitude, season and rural versus urban setting. Because recommendations are country and region specific and change over time, an individual risk assessment based on your exact itinerary is essential.
There is no malaria vaccine for travellers, so prevention follows the ABCD approach. Awareness: know whether your destination carries malaria risk before you travel. Bite avoidance: use an insect repellent containing 50 percent DEET on exposed skin, wear long sleeves and trousers in the evening, sleep under an insecticide-treated mosquito net, and use air conditioning or screened, well-sealed rooms where possible. Chemoprophylaxis: take antimalarial tablets exactly as prescribed for your destination, such as atovaquone-proguanil (Malarone), doxycycline or mefloquine, starting before you travel, continuing throughout, and completing the full course after you return. Diagnosis: seek urgent medical attention for any fever during or after travel. No single measure is fully protective, so tablets and bite avoidance should always be combined.
Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites that are passed to people through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. These mosquitoes feed mainly between dusk and dawn, which is why night-time bite protection matters most. Once injected, the parasites travel to the liver, multiply and then infect red blood cells, producing the recurring fevers that characterise the illness. Of the species that affect humans, Plasmodium falciparum causes the most severe and rapidly progressing disease and is most common in sub-Saharan Africa.
Because there is no malaria vaccine for travellers, prevention follows the ABCD approach promoted by UK health authorities. No antimalarial tablet is fully protective, so tablets and bite avoidance should always be used together. Antimalarials such as atovaquone-proguanil (Malarone), doxycycline or mefloquine must be started before travel, taken throughout the trip and completed for the correct period afterwards. The right choice depends on your destination, medical history and the local resistance pattern, which is why an individual risk assessment is recommended.
Symptoms usually start about 7 days or more after being bitten, but can appear up to a year later, and occasionally longer, after returning home. Early features are often flu-like, with fever, chills, headache and aching muscles, and the classic cyclical fever is not always present. Falciparum malaria can deteriorate quickly into a medical emergency. Any fever or flu-like illness during travel to a malaria area, or within a year of returning, should be treated as a possible malaria case until a blood test has ruled it out.
There is currently no malaria vaccine available for travellers. The licensed malaria vaccines are used within childhood immunisation programmes in high-burden countries rather than for travel protection. Travellers therefore rely on a combination of antimalarial tablets appropriate to their destination and consistent mosquito bite avoidance. Crewe Travel Clinic provides an individual malaria risk assessment for your itinerary, antimalarial prescriptions where appropriate, and practical bite-avoidance advice.
The following vaccinations can help protect against Malaria.
Book an appointment with our travel health team for tailored advice on protecting against Malaria.