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Anti Malaria
Malaria is a tropical disease carried by mosquitoes which can prove fatal. It is recommended by doctors that anyone travelling to countries at risk of malaria takes preventative antimalarial tablets. Taking this medication can reduce your chances of catching the serious disease by up to 90%. At Medicine Direct, we offer a range of anti-malarial tablets which can be ordered online. Simply complete an assessment with our doctors, and order the medication prescribed to you.

Anti Malaria

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  1. Malarone
    Malarone
    From As low as £29.99
    • Prevents Malaria
    • Treats Malaria
    • Used in high risk destinations
    View item
  2. Lariam (Mefloquine)
    Lariam (Mefloquine)
    From As low as £22.99
    • Malaria Prevention
    • Effective treatment
    • Treats other bacterial infections

    Please note brand received may vary

    View item
Overview

What is Malaria? 

Malaria is a very serious tropical disease that is found in more than 100 countries around the world. It is common in parts of African and Asia, the Middle East, Dominican Republic, Haiti and other locations. It is spread by mosquitoes and can be fatal if it is not diagnosed and treated in time.

There are various anti-malaria tablets available to buy, some of which can be used to prevent malaria while other tablets treat the problem in those who have contracted the disease already. You can buy malaria tablets from Medicine Direct's online pharmacy following a consultation with an online doctor.

Malaria prevention tablets will be prescribed to be taken before you travel to a high risk area, giving the tablets time to take effect in your system, helping you to fight off the malaria disease should you contract it while you are abroad.

Order anti-malaria tablets online today. We offer a range of treatments with next day delivery options.

Symptoms

Symptoms of Malaria

It is important to be aware of the early signs of malaria so that you can immediately seek medical help if you begin to experience them. If recognised and treated quickly enough, full recoveries can be made.

Symptoms include:

  • High temperatures of 38C or above
  • Headaches
  • Vomiting
  • Muscle pains
  • Diarrhoea
  • Shivering and feeling feverish

If you have been bitten by an infected mosquito, these symptoms generally begin to show around a week to 18 days later. Typically, the symptoms appear in cycles of 2 days, fluctuating between feeling cold and shivering and then feeling severely fatigued. In some instances, your symptoms may not appear for up to a year, or even longer in rare cases.

When to see a doctor

You must seek medical attention straight away if you develop any symptoms of malaria either during or after a visit to an area that poses a risk of catching the disease.

Even if it has been several weeks, months or even a year after returning from a foreign country, you still need to seek medical help if you are exhibiting any of the above symptoms.

If you do exhibit symptoms and there is a possibility of malaria, your doctor will order a blood test to confirm whether or not you have the disease. Your results should come back the very same day and, if you do have malaria your treatment will begin straight away, too.

Causes

Causes of Malaria

Malaria is caused by a type of parasite that is known as Plasmodia; these parasites come in many different types, but only five of them can cause malaria in humans.

This parasite is manly spread by female Anopheles mosquitoes, which are most commonly known to bite humans at dusk and during the night. If you are bitten by an infected mosquito, these parasites are passed into the bloodstream.

Another way malaria can be spread is through blood transfusions and the sharing of needles. However, these cases are very rare.

Countries that are high-risk for malaria

Malaria is found in more than 100 countries around the world, mostly in tropical regions.

In particular, malaria is commonly found in:

  • Haiti and the Dominican Republic
  • Some Pacific islands
  • Large areas of Asia and Africa
  • Central and South America
  • Parts of the Middle East

Malaria is not found in the UK, although it may be diagnosed in travellers who have come back to the UK after visiting a country that poses a risk.

Diagnosis

Malaria Diagnosis

Your doctor will need to carry out a test to positively diagnose a case of malaria. Blood tests can help to show:

  • If the parasite is present in your bloodstream, which will confirm that you do have malaria
  • Which type of malaria parasite is responsible for your symptoms
  • Whether or not your infection is caused by a parasite that is resistant to certain drugs

Certain blood tests can take a few days come back, while some will produce results in just 15 minutes. If you are diagnosed with the disease, your treatment will begin straight away.

Following your diagnosis, a suitable malaria treatment will be recommended by your doctor. You can buy this medication from our online pharmacy; order online by 2pm and we can offer you next day delivery.

Treatment

Malaria Treatment

Malaria treatment consists of medication to kill the parasites that are present in your bloodstream. Anti-malaria tablets are available to buy from Medicine Direct following a consultation with an online doctor, who will prescribe the tablets they believe to be the most suitable to treat your case.

If you order from our online pharmacy by 2pm, we can offer you next day delivery absolutely free.

Buy Malaria Tablets

Our UK online pharmacy has three treatment options available:

Doxycycline

Between 7 days to yearly courses of either 50 mg or 100 mg doses of this treatment can be ordered. Following your online consultation, our doctor will prescribe the course most suitable for your needs and length of holiday.

Lariam

Between 7 days and seven-month courses of 250 mg can be ordered of this antibiotic. To prevent malaria, it is recommended to take one 250 mg dose weekly.

Malarone

A course of 7 days to 12 months can be prescribed. Adults should take one 250 mg/100 mg tablet per day unless advised differently.

You must remember which anti-malaria tablet you are taking in case you do contract the disease. You cannot be treated with the same antibiotic you are using to prevent malaria, as it will not be effective in curing the disease.

Anti-malaria tablets side effects

Inform your doctor of any family or medical history so that they can prescribe you the correct dosage and brand of anti-malaria tablets. Although side effects are uncommon, some people report experiencing symptoms as a result of taking these antibiotics. Below is a list of common side effects caused by anti-malaria tablets:

  • Diarrhoea or vomiting
  • Headaches
  • Heartburn
  • Thrush
  • Skin sensitivity to light
  • Dizziness
  • Sleep disturbances

We recommend the Fit For Travel website for information on what treatment is best for the destination you are traveling to.

Our pharmacists and prescribers follow NICE guidelines when prescribing malaria prophylaxis treatments.

FAQs

Which are the best anti-malaria tablets?


At Medicine Direct, we sell three of the most effective anti-malaria tablets:

Doxycycline: which is a malaria prevention medication when you are travelling abroad. It works by killing the bacteria by stopping them from making the necessary proteins they require to survive in your body. You can purchase these malaria tablets in quantities of one week or yearly courses, depending on how long you are going to be abroad, in doses of either 50 mg or 100 mg.

Lariam: which your doctor may also prescribe for you to take to treat malaria. These tablets stop the growth of parasites in the red blood cells of your body, helping to kill the disease. You may also take these tablets before going abroad to help prevent catching malaria while you are away. You can order between one week or seven-month courses of 250mg from Medicine Direct. You should take one 250 mg dose each week to prevent malaria.

Malarone: which are anti-malaria tablets to both prevent and treat malaria. Malarone tablets also work to stop the growth of parasites in the red blood cells of your body, killing malaria. A course of one week to 12 months can be bought. Adults should take one 250 mg/100 mg tablet per day unless advised differently.

These three forms of malaria tablets can be bought from our online pharmacy following a consultation with an online doctor, who will prescribe you the most suitable medication for your specific situation or condition.

Always take this medication exactly as your doctor instructs you to. Read the patient information leaflet thoroughly and speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you need further direction on how to take the tablets.

.

How long do you take malaria tablets for?


How long you will need to take the medication will depend on the tablets you are taking for malaria. If you are prescribed Malarone tablets, you should take one 250 mg/100 mg tablet once a day, beginning 2 days before you travel to the high-risk area and for 1 week after you come home. When taking Doxycycline, you should take one capsule each day, beginning 2 days before you travel and for 4 weeks when you get home.For Lariam, you should begin taking one tablet each week for 3 weeks before you travel, during your trip abroad and continue taking it for a further 4 weeks when you get back.

How do you know if you have malaria?


Malaria is a disease that is spread by mosquito bites in tropical countries. It is particularly prominent in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, Some Pacific islands, Large areas of Asia and Africa, Central and South America, Parts of the Middle East. The most common symptoms of malaria include: High temperatures of 38C or above, Headaches, Vomiting, Muscle pains, Diarrhoea, Shivering and feeling feverish. If you suspect you have contracted malaria, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible. If not diagnosed and treated in time, this disease can be fatal. Therefore, if you are travelling to a country that poses a risk of catching the disease, you need to be aware of the symptoms and the malaria tablets available to treat it. To make sure you have contracted malaria, your doctor will give you a blood test, which will show the following: If the parasite is present in your bloodstream, which will confirm that you do have malaria, Which type of malaria parasite is responsible for your symptoms and Whether or not your infection is caused by a parasite that is resistant to certain drugs.

How do you get malaria?


Malaria is most commonly caused by mosquito bites, particularly by female Anopheles mosquitoes. The mosquito bites a person to suck their blood, which they need to nurture their eggs. Once the parasite is inside a mosquito's body, it reproduces very quickly. When a mosquito which carries the parasite in its saliva bites a person, the parasite is transmitted into that person's bloodstream. It then moves to the person's liver and reproduces there, which causes symptoms of malaria. If it is not diagnosed, this disease can kill human beings who have not been treated

What is the treatment for malaria?


Various malaria tablets are available to prevent people from catching the disease, as well as treat it in those who have contracted it from a mosquito bite. At Medicine Direct, we sell three of the most common anti-malaria tablets: Malarone, Doxycycline and Lariam. You can order these from our pharmacy after an online consultation with a registered doctor, who will prescribe you the medication they deem the most suitable to treat your symptoms. We offer discreet and swift delivery and if you order online by 2pm, you can also benefit from next day delivery.

Is there a vaccine for malaria?


Currently, there is no commercially available vaccine for malaria. However, there are several tablets available to help prevent you from catching the disease if you travel abroad to a country that poses a risk of catching it. If you are planning on travelling abroad to a country that is known to be a high threat for catching malaria, speak to your doctor or have an online consultation with one of our certified doctors at Medicine Direct; they will be able to prescribe malaria tablets that will help to prevent you from catching it while you are abroad.

Is malaria contagious?


No, malaria cannot be spread from person to person in the same way that the likes of colds and flu can be. Casual or close contact with someone who has malaria will not pose a threat to you getting it. This disease is most commonly spread by mosquito bites.

How do you prevent malaria?


While there is currently no commercially-available vaccine for this disease, there are various tablets available to help prevent catching malaria while you are abroad in countries that pose a high risk of catching it. Three forms of malaria tablets are available to order from Medicine Direct's online pharmacy: Doxycycline, Malarone and Lariam. After an online consultation, one of our doctors will prescribe the most appropriate medication for your personal needs. If you order online by 2pm, we can offer you next day delivery on your medication.

Once bitten, how long will symptoms take to develop?


Female anopheles mosquitoes are the most common type of mosquito to carry malaria. Once you have been bitten, it may take between 1 and 4 weeks for your symptoms to develop. However, the parasites that cause malaria can lie dormant in your liver which means that, in some cases, you may not have any symptoms until months later. In rare cases, it can take a year for symptoms to show; this can cause you to be re-infected. If you develop any symptoms of malaria within a year of travelling abroad, you need to make sure you see a doctor as soon as possible. If left un-diagnosed and untreated, the disease can be fatal to those who have it.

Is malaria fatal?


This disease destroys red blood cells and clogs the blood vessels that supply blood to vital organs, including the brain. Malaria can be fatal if it is not diagnosed and treated in time. If you exhibit any of the following symptoms at any point within a year after travelling to a country that poses a risk of catching malaria, you must seek medical attention immediately: High temperatures of 38C or above, Headaches, Vomiting, Muscle pains, Diarrhoea, Shivering and feeling feverish.

When am I most likely to be bitten by mosquitoes?


This disease destroys red blood cells and clogs the blood vessels that supply blood to vital organs, including the brain. Malaria can be fatal if it is not diagnosed and treated in time. If you exhibit any of the following symptoms at any point within a year after travelling to a country that poses a risk of catching malaria, you must seek medical attention immediately: High temperatures of 38C or above, Headaches, Vomiting, Muscle pains, Diarrhoea, Shivering and feeling feverish.

Does getting bitten by a mosquito mean I will get malaria?


If you are bitten by a mosquito while you are abroad, this does not guarantee that you will get malaria. The malaria parasite is only carried by the female Anopheles mosquito, meaning that not all mosquito bites will result in your catching the disease. Male Anopheles mosquitoes do not bite and other species of mosquito do not carry the malaria parasite at all. However, this does not mean that you should not be cautious about getting bitten. All mosquito bites should be avoided in case you are bitten by one that does carry the malaria parasite. Taking tablets to prevent catching malaria should be used when travelling to a destination that is a risk area.

What is the best advice for pregnant women travelling to malaria prevalent areas?


If you are pregnant, you are strongly advised not to travel to any areas that pose a high risk of catching malaria. This disease can cause a range of complications for pregnant women including premature birth, miscarriage or still-birth. If you have to travel to a malaria zone, you are advised to take antimalarial tablets. You should make an appointment with your doctor to discuss the most appropriate malaria tablets for you to take in your condition.

Is it safe to buy malaria tablets online?


Buying malaria tablets online is perfectly safe as long as it is from a UK registered pharmacy that is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), like Medicine Direct. Never order any medication online unless it is from a pharmacy registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council. This will ensure you purchase nothing but genuine forms for the malaria tablets you require. At Medicine Direct, all of our doctors are registered with the General Medical Council (GMC), which means they are able to legally prescribe malaria tablets just like your local GP. Following an online consultation, they will prescribe the tablets they deem the most suitable for you to take. You can then order these from our online pharmacy and if you order by 2pm, we can offer you next day delivery.

Doctor Notes

Medicine Direct have an experienced clinical team of doctors, pharmacists and dispensers, all of whom are based in the UK. All are fully trained and qualified to provide appropriate and considered care across all areas of treatment we have available at our online pharmacy.

This means that no matter which member of our team is assigned to your case, you can rest assured that you are in the hands of a highly skilled medical professional, who possesses the compassion and clinical expertise to properly advise you on the best course of treatment.

We are fully regulated

All of our doctors and pharmacists are fully registered with both the General Medical Council (GMC), MHRA and the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). Each member of our team has also worked in various clinic settings in the past, such as community pharmacies and NHS hospitals.

Hussain Abdeh Superintendent Pharmacist at Medicine Direct

Hussain Abdeh
MPharm: 2211840


Superintendent Pharmacist

This content has been written by our Superintendent Pharmacist Hussain Abdeh and has been medically reviewed by our Pharmacist Sonia Khan

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